Access to MS specialist nurses and therapists
MS specialist nurses
The MS Trust believes that everyone diagnosed with MS should have access to an MS specialist nurse. To ensure that there are enough for everyone with MS in the UK, around 300 MS specialist nurses are required. Currently there are around 200 in the UK.
Research and the experience of thousands of people with MS shows that having an MS specialist nurse makes a real difference to people's journey with their MS. MS specialist nurses should be there for people with MS, from diagnosis onwards, and for the whole spectrum of symptoms and variability of the condition.
We work very hard to keep the profile of MS specialist nurses high on the political agenda, currently by promoting their role to commissioners in Strategic Health Authorities.
MS specialist therapists
People with MS should have access to specialist therapists as needed. The MS Trust initiated the Therapists in MS group and through partnership with this group is campaigning to improve awareness of the value of therapy interventions, increase the level of knowledge of therapists working with people with MS, and look at whether core stability exercises are of value.
Our work to support MS specialist nurses and therapists includes:
- Training and support for MS specialists, from an initial week-long residential course for new MS specialists, to ongoing educational initiatives.
- The publications of Competencies for MS specialist services.
- Production of an MS commissioning pathway which identifies the specialist interventions that are required throughout the disease trajectory.
- Providing evidence of the economic and health benefits of MS specialist nurses, so ensuring investment by the NHS in such posts. For instance, the MS Trust has funded research into evaluation of the role of the MS nurse specialist.
- Information services that support the day-to-day work of MS specialist nurses and therapists.