Niall Sommerville of the MS Society on why we would be making a big noise about the condition.
This week marks the annual MS Awareness Week (25 April – 1 May) and it comes at an opportune moment with only days to go until the Scottish Parliament election.
The decisions made at Holyrood have an ever increasing impact on the lives of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), as they do with all long term conditions.
The recent controversies and U-turns by the UK government on cuts to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) highlight this further as elements of welfare, such as PIP, are set to be devolved to Holyrood over the next Parliament.
In the lead up to the election the MS Society has been calling on candidates to “Get Loud for MS” and pledge their support for three key asks which will help the lives of people living with MS.
In the lead up to the election the MS Society has been calling on candidates to “Get Loud for MS”
Niall Sommerville
Our asks are ones that will be familiar to many health and disability charities; focussing on consistent and community based support and services, strengthening service user voices in health and social care integration, and using newly devolved powers to create a fairer Scotland for people living with MS.
Scotland is in a strong position to lead the way in MS provision. There are areas which have seen significant and sustained progress, self-management being one such area where Scotland is leading the way.
We have also welcomed the initial announcements on the new Scottish social security system which promises to be fairer and more accessible than the current system. This can only be a good thing.
However, there are areas where we need to increase the pace of change. For example, we are still seeing people having to travel long distances to access the care and support they need to manage their MS.
People with MS often experience fatigue and mobility issues. Excessive travel can further exacerbate their condition, meaning they need more support or have to take time off work. We need to think differently about how clinical services are delivered, particularly how we can get more based within a community setting.
We also know that the picture of service user involvement in health and social care integration is greatly varied across Scotland. Without strong input from service users and the third sector we aren’t going to realise the full potential of integration. Everyone has a different story to tell and is an expert in their own condition, let’s make sure this breadth of knowledge is tapped into when designing and delivering services.
For over 11,000 people in Scotland living with MS is a daily reality. Our elected representatives have a duty to help create a fairer Scotland for people living with long-term conditions. It’s up to organisations such as us to make a positive case for change and hold MSPs to account. This MS Awareness Week we will be getting loud for MS, let’s hope our Parliament will do likewise following 5 May!
Niall Sommerville is policy, public affairs and campaigns manager at MS Society Scotland.
