Plea to support MS sufferers impacted by Covid-19 crisis

A new survey by the MS Society found that since March seven in 10 people with MS hadn’t been able to speak to a rehabilitation professional – from physiotherapists to continence specialists – when they needed to.

Of the 1,674 people asked, four in 10 had appointments cancelled or delayed, either by the healthcare professional or by themselves due to concerns about infection.

MS damages nerves in your body and makes it harder to do everyday things like walk, talk, eat and think. Without rehabilitation therapies, the ability of people with MS to maintain or improve their physical functioning and quality of life is significantly limited.

Pledge

With the impact of the pandemic, and the looming threat of a second wave, the MS Society has launched a pledge for local health leaders across the UK to sign to protect access to services. Every pledge will help to demonstrate to UK Governments that it’s time to take action and improve rehabilitation for everyone that needs it.

Phillip Anderson, head of policy at the MS Society, said: “More than 130,000 people live with MS in the UK, and many rely on services like physio to do the everyday things many people take for granted – like making a cup of tea, or moving around your home safely.

"But too often, people with MS can’t get the support they need to stay active and independent – and this has only got worse during lockdown. We’re asking local health leaders to sign our pledge to ensure people with long-term neurological conditions like MS can access the rehabilitation support they need, to prevent the painful and life-limiting effects of MS getting worse as the pandemic continues.”

Visit mssociety.org.uk/support-campaign for more.