London Region

Hello my name is Shannon Katiyo. My role is to try and improve and health and social care services for people with MS by working with professionals and volunteers to identify needs and explore
different solutions to address them.

One of the major challenges for South London is how to get round the postcode lottery and ensure an equitable provision
of services across the boroughs. An assessment of regional needs was carried out by a group of regional volunteers and it helped us to recognize the major gaps in service development in 2006.

Those gaps have led to the identification of five key priorities for service development in 2007.

• Improving on the quality of information we already have to provide a baseline against which we can measure our service development efforts.
Reduce inequalities in provision of health and social care.

• Forging new ties and maintaining existing relationships with voluntary organisations to ensure effective use of resources.

• Education and training for health and social care professionals as well as for people affected by MS.

• Provide more information on assistive technologies and continue to campaign for improvements in access to transport.

• Partnership working at local and strategic levels.

• Setting up and funding MS Nurse, Physiotherapy and other specialist posts.
• Information on government initiatives such as NSF LTC (National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions), NICE Guidelines for MS in Primary and Secondary Care, and the White Paper “Our Health, our care , our say”.
• Improving health and social care services for your community.
• MS Education to health and social care services e.g. General Practitioners and Social Services staff.
• Partnerships with health and social care professionals such as neurology networks, disability and carer forums.
• Disseminating information about health and social care activities/meetings in your area.
• Support for MS specialists.


For more information, contact the Service Development Team Service Development Service Development Team at MSNC, 372 Edgware Road, NW2 6ND London. Tel: 017 8442 3783 or
Email me Shannon or Carolin