Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to help support people with post-polio syndrome in the North West; and if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the care provided to those people.

Although there is currently no cure for post-polio syndrome, a range of treatments and support is available to help manage the symptoms and improve quality of life. Once post-polio syndrome is identified, patients with the condition, including those in the North West, can usually be managed through routine access to primary or secondary care provided via a general practice or consultant. Treatment will depend on the severity of a patient’s condition, but care may involve pain-relieving medication, physiotherapy, dietary and exercise advice, and counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy. It is for commissioners, providers, and clinicians, supported by relevant clinical practice, to determine the best treatment for people with post-polio syndrome. There are no plans currently to make an assessment of the adequacy of the care provided to people with post-polio syndrome in the North West.