Lengthy treatment delays for neurological conditions
One in three are waiting over a year for their diagnosis
A new report has found that more than one in three people across Scotland are waiting over a year to get their neurological condition diagnosed.
The report also suggests that access to specialist care is "very difficult" in various areas of the country, whilst patients also said that they are often not provided with meaningful information about their condition.
There are an estimated 60 different conditions that about 1 million people in Scotland live with, such as dementia, cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
834 people, including 50 children and young people, took part in a nationwide survey with 49% of adults saying that they experienced a delay in trying to see a routine neurologist. That number increases to 55% within children and young people.
Alice Struthers, Neurological Alliance of Scotland programme director, said: "Delays to treatment and care can change your life forever, and it is of huge concern that people living with a neurological condition in Scotland have experienced such lengthy delays for routine appointments."
She said it was "alarming that most people with a neurological condition are unable to access the mental wellbeing support they need".
"Action must be taken in Scotland to deliver care seamlessly between different parts of the health system, address the mental health crisis and better understand the prevalence of neurological conditions so that we can create real and positive change for hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland," she added.