MS nurses have been acknowledged by our members as a vital source of knowledge and support. Currently, there are approximately 85,000 people living with MS in the UK and only 220 MS specialist nurses to meet their needs. At the height of the recent NHS funding crisis, financial constraints placed upon Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) meant MS specialist nursing posts became a soft target. Services were cut, posts were frozen, less time was spent in the community and more time on general wards. MS specialist nurses faced uncertain prospects for the future.


Latest news:  guide aimed at promoting the benefits of specialist nurses in the care of people with long term neurological conditions published. Find out more about the good practice guide and download the document.

Campaigning for change

The MS Society has been campaigning to make government accountable to these issues and is doing everything it can to ensure that local Primary Care Trusts understand the importance of the work of these professional and highly skilled nurses.

Find out how the campaign has been progressing 

Find out more about the subject

Members of the MS Society have consistently told us that continued access to an MS specialist nurse is invaluable, especially since they are a single point of contact more familiar with MS than most GPs and more accessible than neurologists. This is why tight budgets and deficits within the NHS continue to concern the MS Society.

Read more about MS nurses 

The MS Society's position

Find out what the MS Society's official position is on this key issue.

Policy Position Statement 07 - MS Specialist Nurses (80 kb)