Neurological Voices

Neurological Voices

‘Neurological Voices’ is a short course, delivered by the Neurological Alliance of Scotland, which prepares adults with different neurological conditions AND carers to get involved in planning and improving their local health services. The project is based on Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland’s successful Voices Scotland programme that continues to deliver courses to its core groups, including those affected by stroke.

‘Neurological Voices’ runs for three half-days, spread over two or three weeks. It explains how the NHS operates and highlights how patients and carers can have their say to influence local services. Training is carefully paced and is made accessible to everyone who attends.

All Health Boards have been drafting plans for improving their neurological services, in response to the Clinical Standards for Neurological Health Services (2009), and they want patients and carers round the table to offer their views. This course prepares people to communicate effectively and make the most of this opportunity.

In the first instance, we offer Neurological Voices ‘Taster’ sessions, lasting 2 hours, to allow people to find out whether the full course and becoming a ‘Neurological Voice’ is right for them. ‘Tasters’ are also a chance to express your views on your treatment and care and to hear about other people’s experiences.

Progress to date

Taster Sessions and full Neurological Voices training were delivered in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Forth Valley and NHS Tayside during autumn/Winter 2011.

Taster Sessions have been delivered in NHS Grampian and training for those who attended the Tasters is scheduled for March 2012.

Feedback on training courses to date has been highly positive.

Participants have commented:

‘Excellent working through from national standards to local standards, to personal involvement. We were never talked down to, but treated as intelligent participants.’

‘Absolutely excellent: inspiring, informative and very uplifting.’

‘Informative and enjoyable a real learning curve.’

‘Good group relationship.’

The Neurological Voices project remains in its early stages.

Look out for an update on how these participants go on to engage in their local area.

New Dates – NHS Dumfries & Galloway

‘Taster’ sessions in NHS Dumfries & Galloway

Stranraer: Wednesday 29th Feb, 1.30-3.30pm, Library

Dumfries: Thursday 1st March, 10.30-12.30pm, Aston Hotel

Lockerbie: Thursday 1st March, 2.00-4.00pm, Somerton Hotel

Neurological Voices Training in NHS Dumfries & Galloway (full course, 3 half-days, post-Taster)

Thursdays 15th, 22nd, 29th March, 10.30am-1.30pm, Dumfries

Tasters and training are free, with refreshments provided. All reasonable travel expenses are paid.

There are up to 16 places at each ‘Taster’ and up to 10 places on a full course.

If you or your members are interested, please request a booking form as soon as possible.

Not everyone will automatically get a place. We are keen to have a range of conditions represented, including low incidence conditions.

We will take the needs of everyone who attends into account.

To find out more please contact Jan Anderson on 07703 185 856 or email

To request a booking form, please contact Margaret Kane on 07921 020258 or email

Neurological Voices

The established 'Voices' training programme, developed and delivered by Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS), has been successful in empowering patients and carers affected by Heart Disease and Stroke to input to the development of NHS services. Plans are under way to further develop Voices for Respiratory Services and extend the approach to a range of other conditions such as Arthritis and Diabetes.

The development of a generic 'Voices' package which can be adapted and delivered for those affected by long-term conditions could help facilitate the long-term improvement of neurological health services. The Alliance is keen to both empower and support the participation of people affected by neurological conditions in neurological service delivery across Scotland.

The Alliance believes that the roll-out of a Neurological Voices programme is particularly useful in conjunction with the implementation of the Clinical Standards for Neurological Health Services. This will help provide a framework to support links at local level between recipients of neurological health services and NHS Board Improvement Leads using an MCN approach as well as provide information to feed into the national implementation programme managed by NHS QIS.

The Alliance is aiming to provide a robust and sustainable patient and carer involvement training package tailored from the existing 'Voices' materials developed by CHSS, to empower those affected by neurological conditions in Scotland to contribute to the development and improvement of neurological services. We will provide regular updates as the project develops.