UK Rare Diseases Strategy launched by government

The Department of Health has announced the launch of the first ever UK Rare Diseases Strategy, which aims to provide better support, treatment and research for millions of patients.

It sets out a national vision for enhancing the care provided to the three million people who are affected by an uncommon condition in this country, while ensuring the UK maintains its status as a world leader in rare disease research.

Parts of this strategy include introducing personal care plans for every patient, bringing together health and care services to offer more support for sufferers, their families and specialised clinical centres, while better education and training will be offered to healthcare professionals.

Additionally, the National Institute for Health Research is establishing a Rare Diseases Translational Research Collaboration, which will see 20 million pounds invested into innovative studies over four years.

Health minister Lord Howe said: "The UK already leads the way with groundbreaking research to better understand and treat these illnesses and this strategy will help cement our reputation as the driving force in this field."