MSPs from across the political divide have united behind the Scottish Huntington’s Association’s work to deliver a National Care Framework for HD families.

Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health, Donald Cameron MSP, has tabled a parliamentary motion highlighting HD, welcoming the move towards a National Care Framework, wishing the SHA and the Care Framework Development Group every success in their work and calling on health & social care providers to get behind the initiative.

The motion has been backed by SNP, Conservative, Labour, Green & Lib Dem MSPs, including the leaders of all opposition parties (Ruth Davidson, Kezia Dugdale, Patrick Harvie & Willie Rennie), all opposition health spokespeople and the convener and deputy convener of the parliament’s influential Health & Sport Committee. The full text of the motion can be viewed below:

Motion S5M-00510: Donald Cameron, Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 17/06/2016: That the Parliament understands that Huntington’s Disease (HD) is a rare, hereditary, degenerative, incurable and ultimately fatal condition that attacks the brain and central nervous system and that the disease affects an estimated 1,100 people in Scotland, with a further 4,000-6,000 at risk of inheriting it; welcomes the Scottish Government’s decision to commission the Scottish Huntington’s Association (SHA) to lead on the development of a national care framework for HD to help drive up standards of care and support; further welcomes SHA’s announcement of a multidisciplinary expert group to lead on the development of the framework; wishes the SHA, the development group and the wider HD community every success in their work, and calls on health and social care providers throughout Scotland to get behind the growing movement to raise both awareness of HD and the standards of care and support provided to generations of families who have had its devastating impact visited on them.

An up to date list of supporters of the motion can be viewed HERE.

The development ensures that, in addition to having formal backing from the Scottish Government, SHA’s work leading on the delivery of a National Care Framework for HD now has the support of all parties represented within the Scottish Parliament.