Labyrinthitis: Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the availability of specialist diagnostic and treatment services for balance disorders.
Answered by Karin Smyth
The Department has made no specific central assessment of the overall availability and adequacy of specialist diagnostic and treatment services for balance disorders. The planning and commissioning of these services is the responsibility of integrated care boards, which are best placed to assess local need and ensure appropriate provision for their populations.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence provides evidence‑based guidance relevant to the diagnosis and management of conditions that may cause balance disorders, helping to ensure consistent and high‑quality care. In addition, programmes such as Getting It Right First Time and NHS RightCare support improvements in service quality and help to reduce unwarranted variation.
The Department does not issue specific guidance to National Health Service organisations solely on signposting patients with balance disorders to voluntary sector support. However, we expect NHS organisations to take a person‑centred approach to care, including providing patients with information about additional sources of support where appropriate.
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