Sandra Gidley MP Flexes Political Muscle To Call For New Muscle Disease Care Advisor, UK

Main Category: Muscular Dystrophy / ALS
Article Date: 11 Feb 2010 - 3:00 PDT

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Sandra Gidley MP is backing the fight for better muscle disease healthcare in Hampshire by calling on NHS bosses to fund specialist staff.

Last month the South Central Muscle Group, a patients' forum for families in the region living with muscular dystrophy, met in Southampton where MP for Romsey Sandra Gidley spoke to them about making their voices heard by politicians.

The group decided to focus on getting a care advisor for their region, a vital role in co-ordinating care for families living with muscle disease and advising them on issues like specialist equipment and home adaptation grants.

Sandra has now tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in Parliament in support of a new Muscular Dystrophy Care for vulnerable families living with muscle disease in Hampshire.

Sandra said:

Getting a care advisor for these families shouldn't be a luxury; it should be the basic level of care they can expect.

Specialist care like this can make a massive difference to the quality of life muscle disease patients have, and a care advisor's support is invaluable for families facing the minefield of care and financial help available to people with muscular dystrophy.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign believes that employing a care advisor makes sense for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) as it saves consultants' time, as well as saving money in preventing emergency hospital admissions.

Sandra is calling on the NHS South Central Specialised Commissioning Group, and Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton PCTs to commit to spending some of their specialist services budget on funding the care advisor post.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's head of campaigns and policy Nic Bungay said:

We are delighted Sandra Gidley MP has decided to support us and use her political muscle to call for the NHS to fund the care advisor position.

Having a regional care advisor dedicated to serving families living with muscle disease in Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton would make a world of difference to the quality of these people's lives.

Source
Muscular Dystrophy Campaign

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