HRH The Princess Royal Chairs Leuchie Symposium on the Future of Neurological Respite Care

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, as Patron of Leuchie, has chaired a discussion as part of a symposium hosted by Leuchie. The symposium also brought together people with lived experience of neurological conditions alongside policymakers, funders, commissioners, academics, care providers and business leaders to explore the future of neurological respite care in Scotland.

The Leuchie Symposium took place on Tuesday 20 January at The Sir Walter Scott Suite, The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh. The day addressed the growing societal challenge of meeting rising demand for high-quality neurological respite care at a time when neurological conditions are the leading cause of disability globally. In Scotland, one in six people is expected to be affected by a neurological condition within the next five years.

We are Scotland’s national respite charity for people living with long-term neurological conditions. With demand for our services at an all-time high, the symposium aimed to identify practical solutions and foster partnerships to increase capacity, influence and impact across health, social care and community systems.

The programme explored six core themes: moving neurological respite care from a “nice to have” to an essential service; designing care around lived experience; cultural collaboration and shared responsibility; technology in service of human care; and pathways for change and innovation. Discussions were supported by a visual scribe who captured key insights and outcomes in live illustrations, shared with delegates at the close of the event.

Opening the symposium, our Chair Graeme Hartop called for collective action to build on existing strengths to help Leuchie reach 5,000 people per year by 2031. Our Royal Patron, The Princess Royal, also spoke about our charity’s history and position in neurological respite care.

Our Chief Executive Mark Bevan highlighted the lived experience of people with neurological conditions and their families, and the role of Leuchie House as a national hub of expertise, drawing on more than 100,000 hours of specialist neurological care delivered each year. The event concluded with a presentation by Kate Hogarth, Chief Executive of Shared Care Scotland, who shared findings from a recent report on unpaid carers. The report showed that unpaid carers provide more than 50 hours of care per week on average; while 60% say they need a break, only 7.5% are able to access one, often for less than two hours. Barriers include system complexity, geography and lack of awareness.

Small-group discussions followed, with Her Royal Highness joining each table and to hear reflections from the participant’s conversations on collaboration, innovation and practical next steps. The symposium marked the beginning of a longer programme of engagement aimed at developing partnerships and solutions to support carers and people living with neurological conditions.

Mark Bevan, Chief Executive of Leuchie, said: “The number of people with a long-term condition is growing, Leuchie is full and our NHS and Social Care Services are overwhelmed. We want to explore new ways of thinking about neurological care and how, as a society, we can come together to meet the ever-growing demand for high-quality, bespoke services which improve health, re-enable independence and connect people locally. It was inspiring to hear the discussions chaired by our Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, whose patronage demonstrates a passion about carer-centred, people-led services. The event helped clarify what is most needed as we respond to rising demand and consider partnerships to achieve the common good.”

Kate Hogarth, Chief Executive of Shared Care Scotland, said: “It was a great privilege to take part in the Leuchie Symposium alongside HRH The Princess Royal and to represent the work of Shared Care Scotland. Bringing together such a dynamic group of people to discuss short breaks for carers was truly inspiring, and the discussions offered a valuable opportunity to explore themes of innovation and collaboration across sectors.

We are at a pivotal moment for unpaid carers as we work to make the new legal right to a break a reality. Conversations like these are vital in shaping how we ensure this right reaches its full potential and empowers all unpaid carers to access the breaks they need.”

Many thanks to everyone that joined us for the Leuchie Symposium.