Tag Archives: Multiple Sclerosis

Postcode lottery of care for Scots MS sufferers

April 29, 2013   Carers, Multiple Sclerosis, ukcuts

GLARING gaps in the treatment and support available for multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferers in Scotland are revealed in a report out today – described as a sobering wake-up call for the health service.

According to the study, only about one-third of sufferers who could benefit from life-transforming medicines are taking them – one of the worst rates in Europe.

Four NHS boards are failing to meet official standards for giving patients access to the range of specialists they need, according to the research by the MS Society.

The report, titled A Lottery of Treatment and Care – MS Services across Scotland and the UK, reveals one-quarter of patients say they cannot see a neurologist when they need help with their symptoms.

Christine Carlin, director of the charity in Scotland, says in the foreword: “This report should be a sobering wake-up call for all of us working to improve the lives of people with MS in the UK.

Read More

Most multiple sclerosis patients in UK 'receiving inadequate care

April 29, 2013   Carers, Multiple Sclerosis, ukcuts

60% of sufferers not getting ‘disease-modifying treatments’, which may lower intensity and frequency of attacks

Multiple sclerosis – musicians in Birmingham attempt to smash the record for the most drummers to play the same beat at the same time to raise awareness of the disease. Photograph: David Jones/AP

Thousands of people with multiple sclerosis are not getting drugs or the care and support they need, according to a campaign launched today by a support charity.

Six out of 10 people with MS are not receiving what are called “disease-modifying treatments”, which are not cures but may reduce the frequency and intensity of attacks and slow progression of disability.

The MS Society is launching a campaign for better care and support of the estimated 100,000 people who have the neurological condition, which is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40.

Read More

Banks offered new guidance on dealing with family carers

April 3, 2013   Cancer, Carers, dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, Older care

Banks offered new guidance on dealing with carers

  • By: Joanna Faith
  • 03 Apr 2013
  • All banks and building societies in the UK have today received new guidance to support carers and relatives who manage accounts on behalf of other people.
care-home-web

The framework – and the complementary consumer guide which accompanies it – aims to help these people have a better and more consistent experience, reducing their burden at what can be a very difficult time.

Arranging to run an account on behalf of a loved one is a challenge faced by thousands of people every year. Since 2007, 536,941 Lasting Powers of Attorney have been registered in the UK to manage property and affairs, which includes the management of financial matters. In 2012 there were around 800,000 people in the UK suffering from dementia with this number forecast to rise to more than a million by 2021.

The guidance framework has been jointly developed by the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), the British Bankers Association (BBA) and the Building Societies Association (BSA), working in collaboration with the Law Society, Alzheimer’s Society, Solicitors for the Elderly and Age UK.

Read More