North East MP Takes Fight For Muscle Disease Patients To The Commons

Main Category: Muscular Dystrophy / ALS
Article Date: 09 Nov 2009 - 3:00 PST

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MP Dave Anderson fought for better services for children and adults with neuromuscular conditions during a House of Commons debate when he called for "real improvements throughout the country" for patients earlier this week.

Mr Anderson, the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Muscular Dystrophy also met with ministers and peers to look forward to the launch of a new investigation and subsequent report into wheelchair provision for people with muscle disease.

Anderson, who has several family members affected by muscle disease, has been a prominent figure in the fight for better services for these patients. As well as Chairing the All Party Parliamentary Group, Anderson has written about his experiences in the national press and appeared on BBC News calling for vital improvements.

MP for Blaydon, Dave Anderson said in Parliament:

We need a strategic approach and we need the development, throughout the country, of specialised centres for everyone. People are travelling ridiculously long distances to receive the treatment that they need. Indeed, the distance that they are travelling is making their condition worse. That is not the care that they should be receiving.

Robert Meadowcroft, Director of Policy at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, said:

Dave Anderson MP has been an invaluable figure in the fight for better services for people with muscle disease. I appreciate the strength of his words in Parliament this week and hope that we start to see more commitments to improve services across the UK.

Source
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign