The MS Society has been providing funding for MS specialist nurses and other allied healthcare professionals since 1999 through the MS Society Nurse Fund Programme. To evaluate the impact of these specialists, research was commissioned through King’s College London. The key messages from this evaluation were as follows:

• MS Specialists make a difference - they are a catalyst for improving local MS services, and they also make a significant impact on the health of people with MS
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• The specialist nurse is instrumental in avoiding complications from pressure sores - flagged as a sentinel event in the NICE Guideline on the management of MS in primary and secondary care
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• MS Specialists can help patients with fatigue management and to some extent in maintaining psychological stability
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• The evaluation also provides a guide to models of MS services and describes an ideal model that promises integrated care for the person with MS, bringing together primary care, secondary care and social services.

For more information, or to request a CD ROM of the full report please email Service Development .

Executive Summary
Click here to download the Executive Summary of the MS Nurse Fund evaluation