I recently attended a virtual roundtable on Essential Tremor to hear from neurosurgeons and patients who had benefited from MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound for Essential Tremor (MRgFUS).
MRgFUS uses breakthrough technology to carry out ultraprecise brain surgery, and I am aware that the charity the National Tremor Foundation (NTF) - the organisation which works to support people with essential tremor - strongly supports the availability of MRgFUS being an option for NHS patients who are unsuitable for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) or who need surgery but do not want an invasive procedure, implanted hardware, and lifelong follow-up.
A number of constituents have been in touch with me for whom the opportunity to be able to access MRgFUS would be lifechanging. Following the roundtable, I am told that this treatment ‘ticks the boxes’: it is oneoff, non-invasive, very acceptable to patients, and very effective. When offered a choice in countries where the treatment is already available, many patients prefer it to DBS. For patients who are unsuitable for DBS, the NHS currently offers no effective treatment.
The proposal to commission MRgFUS routinely for medication-refractory essential treatment is an excellent example of innovative, evidence-based technology being taken up by the NHS. A decision to move forward without delay will give patient access to a ground-breaking effective, non-invasive, life-changing procedure at a lower cost than NHS England is currently paying to treat patients with this condition.
I have therefore written to the Chief Executive of the NHS to ask him to consider these points, and you can find a copy of my letter below.