People with MS campaigned at the Scottish Parliament this week calling on politicians to make the illness a priority during the Holyrood election
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) campaigned outside Holyrood for politicians to speak up for them during the Scottish Parliament election this year.
Scotland is considered to be the MS capital of the world, with over 600 people being newly diagnosed with the neurlogical condition which leads to physical disablities each year in Scotland.
Campaigners supported by the MS Society Scotland dressed in the charity's signature orange and used megaphones to launch its Get Loud campaign, calling for politicians to ensure better care for people with the illlness.
If the services I needed were available nearer to where I live it would help me manage my MS better and greatly improve my quality of life.
Lynn from Elgin was one of the campaigners. She said: “I feel completely abandoned by services. My neurological and rehab consultants are based in Aberdeen and I haven’t seen either of them for many years because I can’t manage the 80 mile journey. If the services I needed were available nearer to where I live it would help me manage my MS better and greatly improve my quality of life.”
The Get Loud campaign is linked to the MS Society Scotland's manifesto for the Scottish Parliament election. It calls on politicians to ensure that care, support and treatment for people living with MS is person centred, consistent and based within the community. The manifesto also includes calls for the voices of people living with MS are heard in the new health and social care integration boards, and newly devolved powers to create an empowering and fairer landscape for people living with MS.
Morna Simpkins, Scotland director for the MS Society, said: “It is an exciting time for Scotland. With further devolution of powers and an intigrated health and social care system Scotland could-and should-be leading the way in creating a fairer, empowering environment for people living with MS. We want everyone to get loud and for parliamentarians to support our manifesto asks. There’s lots of ways to get involved, so come and join us make real changes for people living with MS.”
The full MS Society Scotland manifesto and more details about the Get Loud campaign is on the charity's website.
