I am absolutely delighted that NHS England has made the decision to provide vital funding for the novel Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) for the treatment of Essential Tremor.
Further to a public consultation opened earlier this year, plus the ongoing campaign supported by the National Tremor Foundation (NTF), the Specialised Commissioning Oversight Group provided its guidance to NHS England to fund MRgFUS from April next year.
The guidance states that the treatment will be available to patients who have moderate to severe Essential Tremor, and where current medication has failed to adequately suppress the tremor or causes adverse effects.
MRgFUS is a safe and non-invasive, cutting-edge treatment for Essential Tremor, often performed in an outpatient setting, enabling patients to quickly return to work and daily life - making a significant improvement on people’s lives.
I met with the NTF earlier this year to hear how patients could benefit from this treatment, and wrote to the Chief Executive of the NHS on their behalf to press him to make this decision.
This is a life-changing outcome for so many people, and I am pleased to have been able to support them throughout.