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Facial Palsy: Health Services

Asked by Jonathan DaviesLabourDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 1 April 2025UIN 40854

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) engage healthcare professionals in the early diagnosis and treatment of facial palsy and (b) support patients in the days following a facial palsy diagnosis.

Answered by Ashley Dalton

The provision of care and management for people with facial palsy, also known as Bell’s palsy, is the responsibility of general practices, under local integrated care boards.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has produced a clinical knowledge summary on Bell’s palsy, last revised in February 2023, which provides primary care practitioners with a readily accessible summary of the current evidence base and practical advice on best practice for Bell’s palsy. This clinical knowledge summary is available on the NICE’s website, at the following link:

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/bells-palsy/

Our 10-Year Health Plan will consider what actions are needed to improve patient access and reduce waiting times for patients, including those with facial or Bell’s palsy, by setting out a bold agenda to deliver on the big shifts needed, including the shift from the hospital to the community.

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