THE BIGGEST national multiple sclerosis charity is calling on residents and health leaders to pledge their support for rehabilitation services.
The MS Society found that since March, 7 in 10 people with MS have not been able to speak to a rehabilitation professional – from physiotherapists to continence specialists – when they needed to.
The findings – which appear in the MS Society’s Too Much to Lose report – also show over a third of people felt their symptoms worsened during lockdown.
Many struggled with walking, felt more pain and were weaker than before. And half believed this was due to a lack of specialist support.
Phillip Anderson, head of policy at the MS Society, said: “More than 130,000 people live with MS in the UK, and many rely on services like physio to do the everyday things many people take for granted – like making a cup of tea, or moving around your home safely.
“But too often, people with MS can’t get the support they need to stay active and independent – and this has only got worse during lockdown.
“We’re asking local health leaders to sign our pledge to ensure people with long-term neurological conditions like MS can access the rehabilitation support they need, to prevent the painful and life-limiting effects of MS getting worse as the pandemic continues.”
For more information, visit: mssociety.org.uk/support-campaign
