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Work and MS

Open Door - February 2006 page 2

It is estimated that within five years of diagnosis, 70-80% people with MS are likely to be unemployed. This is not, by and large, related to any physical disability. With diagnosis usually in the 20s and 30s when career, finance and family commitments are often being made, this represents a waste of talent and opportunity, for the individuals themselves, their families and for society.

In 2003, the MS Trust agreed to fund a research project to examine barriers to employment for people with MS and to identify practical steps which could be taken by people with MS, employers and health and social care professionals.

It is a three year project, led by Gail Townsend, an occupational therapist with many years’ experience of working with people with MS.

Much work has already been done through focus groups and questionnaires involving specialist nurses and therapists, doctors, social workers, disability employment advisors, and of course people with MS themselves and their families.

Apart from the papers which will arise from this work – which we hope will change practice and attitudes to MS and employment – there will also be a booklet of ‘Tips for Working with MS’. Our previous ‘Tips For Living With MS’ books have been very popular and we hope that this will be equally useful.

Here are some tasters of what people have already written:

Telling people that you have MS

The more open about the diagnosis you are (where possible), the easier it is to access the support that will enable you to stay in work and continue to enjoy working.

Positive thinking

Stay positive. You have spent a lot of time working in the job you do or training for it. MS doesn’t take away all you have learned. With MS you just need to find other ways to use the skills and knowledge you have.

Emphasise what you CAN do, not what you CANNOT. Don’t be a disabled person; be a person who has a disability.

Looking after yourself

Staying in the workplace gives a sense of normality and less time to dwell on your problems – doing something normal like you did before can only be good as long as you can cope. I use part of my salary / DLA to pay for someone to come in and help at home.

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