People living with MS from across the country had input into the strategy’s seven goals
The MS Society Scotland has made a commitment to transform support for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) with its first ever national strategy.
Scotland has one of the highest rates of MS in the world and the charity is pledging to keep fighting for the good of the MS community to ensure they can have the best quality of life possible.
Director Morna Simpkins said: “MS affects more than 11,000 of us in Scotland and is often painful and exhausting, causing problems with how we walk, move, see, think and feel.
“We are continuing to listen to people living with MS throughout the country and this plan shows our commitment to working together to stop MS.
“We want people with MS to have access to the right care and support at the right time, no matter where they live in Scotland. We will help make this a reality.”
People living with MS from across the country had input into the strategy’s seven goals which commit to making sure that peoples’ voices are heard.
Increased access to treatments, an equal say in decisions and campaigning to end the financial impacts of diagnosis are pledged by the charity in its inaugural plan.
The Scotland strategy is designed to complement the charity’s UK-wide approach while ensuring that it best addresses the issues that most concern people with MS in Scotland.
The charity will continue it’s campaigning on disability benefits to ensure the new social security system in Scotland works for people living with MS, including campaigning to scrap the controversial 20 metre rule as a way of assessing peoples’ mobility.
It also commits to ensuring more, better quality information is provided to the MS community and to give those diagnosed greater certainty about the future.
The MS Society’s local group network will continue to play a big role in delivering support and information and the MS Society Scotland will look to help them develop new services, impact and income.
To download the MS Society Scotland’s new strategy, visit here.
