The UK’s Neurological Alliance warns that neurology patients are at risk of harm as new NHS waiting time data reveals they face long delays for vital recovery care.
January 2026 data reveals that only 57 per cent of neurology patients and 60 per cent of neurosurgery patients are starting treatment within 18 weeks of referral.
This is “far below” the government’s target for 65 per cent of patients to begin treatment within 18 weeks, the Neurological Alliance says.
Georgina Carr, chief executive of the Neurological Alliance, urges that delays in waiting times mean worsening symptoms, loss of independence and harm that can be avoided if patients receive treatment earlier.
The Alliance is now calling on the government to prioritise neurology and neurosurgery within national elective recovery plans.
Speaking to NR Times, Carr emphasises a need for an overhaul of neurological recovery care in order to prevent unnecessary harm to patients.
To improve outcomes for patients and reduce delays in care, the Neurological Alliance is calling for a modern service framework, better workforce strategies and community-based care.
“Waiting for care can have an impact on people’s outcomes and independence,” Carr says.
“If you’re living with a condition that changes every single day, like so many neurological conditions do, you might experience a new symptom or changes to that condition that you weren’t anticipating.
“Or, you might not have a diagnosis for that condition and may not be able to turn anywhere for help.
“There’s a huge amount of anxiety and uncertainty as people are waiting.”
Timely access to care is vital for neurological conditions, particularly conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) or Parkinson’s disease.
Carr highlights that for MS care, early access to disease modifying therapies helps with treatment effectiveness and slowing the progression of the condition.
For Parkinson’s, there are treatments that can only be given within a certain window.
“The risk is missing that window if people are waiting too long,” says Carr.
“The personal impact is really significant.
Anecdotally, we’ve also heard from those working in the NHS that when they do see people that often they’re more complex in terms of their needs because they’ve been waiting too long or they’ve not had the support they needed in the interim.
“Clearly, teams are then having to deal with circumstances that arguably could have been avoided with specialist input earlier.”
Neurological conditions cost the UK economy £96bn annually, with data showing a potential savings of £30bn through optimised care.
The Alliance highlights that clinical neuroscience services have faced sustained workforce shortages and rising demand in recent years, contributing to delays in neurological recovery care.
Carr says that the staffing shortage can partly be attributed to the scientifically documented fear of neurology among medical students called neurophobia.
“Neurology is seen as too complex,” explains Carr.
“The brain is a complex part of the body.
“Neurophobia means that people don’t necessarily go into neurology, so it slows and disincentivises people from coming into the workplace, essentially.”
However, recent innovations in technology and treatment are now improving neurology diagnostics and care.
“With some of the innovations in genetic therapies and personalised therapies that have developed, many conditions are becoming treatable that have been untreatable for many years, it really is changing,” Carr says.
“But in no way have we got the system or workforce in place at the moment to deliver on that innovation.
“My fear is that it’s felt to be too complex, but actually, there’s never been a better time to rally around and talk about those realities, but also those hopes for the future, because I’m genuinely optimistic, I think, in terms of where we could get to in the next five years.”
Services under prioritised
The Neurological Alliance highlights that Despite one in six people in England being affected by a neurological condition, neuro services remain “overstretched and under-resourced”.
“If the government is serious about reducing waiting lists, neurology and neurosurgery must be prioritised in elective recovery,” the Alliance says.
Neurology in particular is one of the worst performing specialties in access to treatment within 18 weeks.
While the UK government has revealed that between September 2024 and 2025, the number of incomplete neurology pathways was reduced by over 15,000, from 234,720 to 219,221, and reduced the average waiting time for neurology services from 16 to 15 weeks.
However it admits that this is still lower than the national average and has stated it is continuing efforts to improve this.
While a number of initiatives to improve care for patients with neurological conditions have been established, including the United Kingdom-wide Neuro Forum, RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, and the Getting It Right First Time Programme for Neurology, Carr says that the challenge is that Neuro Forum, for example, and its work has not been funded by government.
“That’s hampering progress, undoubtedly, and the Department of Health and Social Care is also going through reform itself as it prepares for NHS England to be abolished,” Carr says.
Carr highlights that the UK also signed up to a World Health Organization action plan on epilepsy and neurological conditions in 2022.
“Needless to say, the UK Government hasn’t really engaged with the kind of specifics of that plan, and today, we’re not really aware as to how they are seeking to meet their obligations.
“A lot of these challenges could be addressed through initiatives such as the UK Neuro Forum with the right resources and support. We would like to see action around that, but also greater transparency in terms of how it’s meeting its obligations around the plan.”
With services under a severe strain, Carr says that people affected and people suspected of neurological conditions are experiencing huge variations in care that have an impact on their condition outcomes and quality of life.
“We have no real strategy to get us out of this,” Carr says.
To tackle this challenge, the Neurological Alliance is urging the government to commit to a modern service framework for neurological conditions that would set out a 10 Year Framework for Action.
Solutions for the future
The Neurological Alliance has put forward solution orientated recommendations for the government to implement.
The recommendations aim to bring together professional bodies and national health charities to strengthen and expand the workforce.
These include reforming the way the neuroscience workforce is trained, including modernised curricular in training including digital literacy, improving the retainment of skilled staff through structured career pathways and providing better support systems for staff, as well as workforce-backed moves from hospital to community, and the embedding of interoperable digital systems.
While in recent years neurology in the UK has seen new evidence around health and equity, new pathways of care, and new commissioning guidance, Carr says that currently, lack of resources to support neurological initiatives remains a major challenge.
“We’ve made a huge amount of progress, and now we’re at a stage where actually we need to be implementing these pieces of guidance,” says Carr.
“However, it’s unclear as to what kind of resources are going to be available in the short term.”
Carr urges any one affected by neurological conditions to write to their MP urging them to advocate for improved access to neurological care.
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