MS Trust Welcomes Moves To More Personalised Health And Care Services

Main Category: Multiple Sclerosis
Article Date: 23 Jan 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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The MS Trust welcomes guidance to commissioners in England from the Department of Health to encourage the development of care planning based on the needs of the individual.

The intention to promote more personalised health and care services that will help people with long-term conditions, such as MS, to manage their condition better.

The guidance identifies the benefits of improved personalised care planning as:

- stimulating genuine choices for individuals
- promoting a more planned, proactive approach to health and social care services
- promoting independence and allowing people to achieve goals such as remaining in, or returning to work
- reducing health inequalities by standardizing care across the country

This guidance follows the publication of the Health Bill on 16 January of the intention to introduce personal health budgets that will give users of NHS services in England more control of their own care.

Pam Macfarlane, Chief Executive of the MS Trust said, "Choice is only relevant where there are genuine options available. Multiple Sclerosis is a variable and fluctuating condition which can require a wide variety of services. We welcome any moves that put people at the centre of their own care and we wait to see whether this will lead to the provision of the range of services with enough capacity to provide people with MS with genuine choices."

The MS Trust

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