At a time when all NHS spending is in the spotlight, it is vital that the value of specialist nurses is clearly articulated, so that these roles which are so important to improving the lives of people living with long-term conditions can be supported and built upon.
Amanda Cheesley, Long-Term Conditions Advisor at the Royal College of Nursing
Every time I need some help, or just someone to listen to me moan, my MS nurse has been there. I have had so much support and advice since I was diagnosed last year. Can't thank her enough.
Person with MS
Protecting MS nurses now and for the future.
Thanks to the help of our supporters, over the last few years we have been able to step up our vital work fighting to keep our MS nurses in post. Changes happening in the NHS now mean that specialist MS services are at risk, with funding being lost or re-assigned.
In the last year we have put in place a pilot project giving MS specialist nurses the resources and skills they need to defend their posts. We are helping them to generate evidence that shows the tremendous difference they are making to people with MS every day.
We now need to ensure that every MS nurse has access to these resources so that they can demonstrate the value of their services to their managers and commissioners.
With your help we can begin the next phase of our project, to roll out these resources to MS nurses across the UK. We can also continue to support our nurses every day, by providing them with the latest information for their patients, keeping them up-to-date on current research, and giving them access to our specialist training courses.
By phone: call 01462 476700 to donate by credit or debit card.
By Direct Debit: if you would like to give regularly to support MS nurses, please complete our Direct Debit form (pdf) and return it by post.
By post: send cheques (payable to 'MS Trust') to Multiple Sclerosis Trust, FREEPOST SG429, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 4YA. Please mark them 'MS nurses' and don't forget to let us know if you would like to Gift Aid your donation.
MS Nurse Support Programme Q&A
Why do people with MS need specialist nurses? Find out...
MS is a very complex condition that affects many different aspects of life & health. People with MS need a specialist level of understanding from their health professionals in order to get appropriate care. Often it's only the MS nurse who can understand the hidden experience of living with MS as well as treating the acute symptoms. An MS nurse can act as a companion and guide, helping their patients to navigate the maze of services available. Their clinical expertise ensures people with MS get the right treatment and support at the right time, based on the most up to date information available. MS nurses are also leaders on how MS services should be shaped and developed and can act as advocates on behalf of groups of patients with MS and individuals.
Without MS nurses, people with MS would receive suboptimal care and would have a lack of guidance and information. It would be harder for them to find out how to access treatments or to talk to people who understand what they're going through. This could impact on every aspect of their life - work, relationships and family, mental and physical health.
What does the MS Trust do to promote the role of the MS nurse? Find out...
Since 1996 the MS Trust has been at the forefront in campaigning for and supporting the role of MS specialist nurses. We funded the only research project which shows that, as well as being vital to people with MS, MS specialist nurses also save money for the NHS by keeping people out of hospital. We are now funding a project to help nurses generate the evidence they need to show the tremendous difference they are making to people with MS every day. Find out about our latest project.
How does the MS Trust support individual MS nurses? Find out...
We provide resources, education opportunities and support networks to ensure MS nurses have the most up to date information and skills to manage the needs of their patients. We also offer one-to-one mentoring and guidance for MS nurses, providing essential support for nurses whose jobs are under threat. Read about our support from a nurse's perspective
Why doesn't the MS Trust fund MS nurses? Find out...
We have always been fully committed to the notion that everybody with MS deserves access to an MS nurse and we continue to campaign for more. Unfortunately, a charity of our size cannot possibly afford to fund MS nurses - this would only be a temporary solution anyway. No charity can commit to long term funding of nurse posts, the NHS must fund these services for people to really benefit. To this end, we are working with nurses on a project to help them gather the evidence they need to secure funding for their vital services.
