Specialist nurses for people with MS in the UK

We’re here for MS nurses, so that they can be there for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

MS nurses have a huge and varied role.  From one patient to the next, they might be training someone on how to use a specific treatment, helping with benefit forms or advising a family on where to seek practical help in the home.  They are routinely described as ‘a vital lifeline’, ‘my guardian angel’, ‘the only one who understands me’.  But they can’t do their job alone. 

To provide the best care possible to people with MS they need a detailed understanding of the condition and up-to-date knowledge of treatments and the latest research. The NHS does not provide training to new MS nurses or ongoing professional development. That’s where the MS Trust comes in. Since 1999, we have trained every new MS nurse, providing them with the in-depth knowledge they need to help people deal with the complexities of MS.  And we take care of their ongoing professional development at the MS Trust Annual Conference; bringing together 300 multidisciplinary MS specialists and world class speakers to ensure MS nurses can access the latest developments on treatments, research and best practice. 

That’s not all we provide. Time spent in clinic is often limited and people don’t have time to get the answers to all of their questions. In order to offer comprehensive care and make a real difference to people’s ability to manage their MS, MS nurses need resources they can pass on to their patients. They need factsheets and books which contain trusted information and offer an additional source of support which can be referred to as needed. Of the 50,000 free publications the MS Trust sends out each year, 70 % is given to MS specialists to distribute as needed in their clinics.

Tracy, a mum living with MS “Living with MS is bearable knowing that someone cares, I am not alone and I have someone to go to if I need advice.”

You might think the NHS should fund these things but it doesn’t; we don’t receive any governments funding to provide this support. Which is why we are asking for your help.

We believe everyone affected by MS should have access to someone who understands how their condition can develop, who can arrange appropriate treatments and support and really can make a world of difference. MS nurses fulfil this vital role, but they can’t do it without our help.

Thanks to the generosity of MS Trust supporters we are able to secure the best quality of care for people with MS, now and in the future.