NHS failing MS patients

Access to neurological rehabilitation services remains inadequate – only 36% of people with MS had access to such services. Although access to specialist neurological services has improved, there are still long delays from GP referral to diagnosis, with 50% of all patients waiting over 20 weeks.

The survey also reports that 6% of people surveyed had developed a skin pressure ulcer during the previous 12 months. Occurrence of pressure sores was NICE’s identified “quality marker” for MS services. A grade 4 pressure ulcer costs the NHS an estimated £10,551, with total costs in the UK of up to £2.1 billion – about 4% of the total NHS expenditure.

Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: “It seems incredible that after five years we are no nearer to commissioning the full range of services that MS patients need and deserve.”