Posters
The MS Nursing Service in Northern Ireland
Iris Hume, Heidi Thompson, Fiona Mullan.
The purpose of this poster is to highlight the N. Ireland health care system, which allows the MS nurse to provide a province wide service. In N. Ireland we have an approximate population of 4000 people with MS, out of a total population of 1.6 million. Therefore the ratio of people with MS being 1:400 compared to 1:700 in England & Wales.
Devolution of power took place in N. Ireland in May 2007. This was the first time in many years that decisions regarding health and social care were made by local MPs, and not by a Secretary of State. People with MS are now able to lobby local politicians to provide accessible services in accordance with local need. The Department of Health and Social Services and Public Safety is responsible for creating policy and legislation for primary, secondary, community health and social care as well as promoting and protecting public safety. Unlike other parts of the UK, the health and social services is in one integrated system, allowing seamless access to patients, which provides greater accessibility and tackles inequality and social disadvantage. In 2006 Callaghan reported that our health system should be regarded as a model for the UK to follow.
In N. Ireland the MS nurse provides a holistic, collaborative and coordinated approach to care, working closely with colleagues in the statutory and voluntary agencies and perhaps even our local politicians. It is hoped that this poster will help demonstrate the advantages for people with MS living in this integrated system and will outline the role of the MS nurse in N. Ireland.