MORI says six out of 10 MS patients do not receive adequate care
The majority of multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferers in the UK fail to see an NHS specialist nurse or support worker in the crucial month following diagnosis, according to a MORI survey.
The poll of 3,000 MS patients reveals six out of 10 sufferers are not given much-needed specialist support and 45% are generally dissatisfied with the support they receive on the NHS after diagnosis. One in three MS patients are unhappy with the overall healthcare they receive from the State.
Hands-on healthcare was not the only NHS failing to surface from the survey ' most patients felt communication systems were also inadequate. A massive 80% of people polled said their NHS care should be better co-ordinated, 60% rated the NHS poor in providing vital in- formation about different aspects of their condition, with 90% saying they had to research their condition by themselves.
Mike O'Donovan, chief executive of the MS Society, said the survey highlights the need for new standards to be developed in MS care for NHS patients. 'In June, the national Institute of Clinical Excellence is due to publish guidelines for MS healthcare. This survey shows just how far standards of care are falling short. It is particularly alarming that the NHS is failing so many people at the crucial time they are diagnosed with such a devastating disease,' he said.
According to the survey, most MS patients also believe the standard of care they receive is down to a postcode lottery. The majority of people polled said their quality of care depends on where they live and that they will get a better service if they know what they need and how to ask for it.
