A Call For Help To Everyone Affected By MS, UK

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 04 Sep 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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The MS Society is committed to safeguarding MS specialist nursing posts. We initiated a summit meeting in May 2007 with the Chief Nursing Officer and the Minister, plus two other charities who also fund specialist nurses (Parkinson's Disease Society and Epilepsy Action).

The meeting was to highlight the importance of the specialist nurse and find ways of protecting the future of specialist nursing. We are now working with the Department of Health and the other charities to produce a best practice document which will be launched in April 2008 to commissioners of services.

We need your help. This is a vital opportunity to convey the views of people affected by MS.

If you have MS:

Please tell us, in one or two paragraphs, how your MS specialist nurse has helped you eg

- Has your MS nurse helped you to avoid a visit to your Accident and Emergency Department or helped you stay out of hospital?

- If you have been in hospital did the MS nurse coordinate your care or help to speed up your discharge?

- Has your MS nurse helped you to manage your relapses so your symptoms are minimised?

- Has your MS nurse helped you with problems you might have found it difficult or embarrassing to mention, such as your bladder or sex life?

- Has your MS nurse helped you to get respite care?

- Has your MS nurse helped you to manage particularly difficult MS symptoms? If so, how has this made a difference to you?

- Has your MS nurse helped you to access other professionals who you might not have known about? If so, how has this made a difference?

Please send your examples, highlighting the differences this has made to your health and wellbeing.

If you are a carer or family member:

Please tell us, in one or two paragraphs, how an MS specialist nurse has helped eg

- Has the MS nurse helped by telling you about services for carers?

- Has the MS nurse organised respite care?

- Has the MS nurse enabled you to continue with your caring role in any other way?

We need to hear from you by 14 September. Please get in touch with Sheila Manley, the Strategy and Policy Manager for the MS Nurse Fund via email on smanley@mssociety.org.uk, via telephone on 01494 715 985, or write to her at the MS Society address given above right. There is no need to provide your name or that of the person you are caring for. Thank you for your help!

http://www.mssociety.org.uk