In his latest blog, MS Trust CEO David Martin writes about the recent increase in the MS prevalence figure and takes a look at what it means for the already stretched MS services across the UK.
We’re all well aware that services for people with multiple sclerosis in the UK are overstretched. The sobering reality in 2020 is that the situation is even more serious than we thought.
Up until now, the NHS had been planning and providing services for the 109,000 people with MS. Now it has emerged that there are 130,000 people in the UK living with MS, which is a fifth more than the previous estimates. This big new number doesn’t necessarily mean that the risk of developing MS has increased. There are many factors, such as people with MS living longer. But by and large the number has jumped by 23,000 because the NHS has got better at diagnosing and recording cases of MS.
Nearly 7,000 people are now being diagnosed with MS each year – up from the previous figure of 5,000.
The stark reality of this figure is that around 130 people are now diagnosed with MS every week. That is 25 new people told that they will have to live with MS for the rest of their lives, every single working day.
Thousands of people with MS are missing out on the vital care and support they need, simply because there are currently not enough MS nurses in the UK. This is not fair. At the MS Trust, we're working hard to address the shortage of MS nurses. It’s an uphill battle, but one we will continue to fight.
MS nurses across the UK are juggling unmanageable and unrealistic caseloads. Around four in every five people with MS in the UK live in areas where there are not enough MS nurses to look after everyone. In 2019 we saw a 20% increase in the number of people calling our helpline. It is indicative of the current strain across MS services that more and more people are turning to the MS Trust for support.
We believe that everyone with MS in the UK, should have access to MS specialists – MS nurses in particular – regardless of where they live, or the type of MS they have.
The MS Trust estimates that at least 115 additional MS nurses are needed to ensure everyone living with MS in the UK can access the specialist support and care they need. We are continuing to address this demand and will be providing another five new MS nurses across the country in 2020 through our specialist nurse programme.
As the new prevalence figures show there are now 130,000 people with MS in the UK, we and the rest of the MS sector are going to have to work even harder to address the significant unmet need.
