Getting treatment for MS
You have the right to ask about getting MS treatment. This is true no matter what kind of MS you have - or how long you’ve had it.
We’ve put together this page to help people access treatment for MS. It answers common questions and signposts key information about rights and complaints.
If you’re a professional working with people with MS, this page could be a useful resource to refer people to.
You can view information on MS treatment and clinical pathways for professionals on our Service improvement and innovation page.
Some MS treatments help with the symptoms of MS, while others control MS itself. These are called disease modifying therapies (DMTs).
With DMTs you can get fewer and less serious relapses. You can also see a slow down in how fast your disability or symptoms get worse. You might even see some symptoms get better to some degree. But DMTs can’t undo damage to nerves that’s left you with a serious disability.
First questions about MS treatments
It’s best you speak to an MS specialist, like a neurologist who has many patients with MS. An MS nurse can also talk about treatments in general. Only an MS specialist can give you advice on treating your MS and prescribe drugs for you. They might refer you on to other health care professionals like neuro-physiotherapists, dietitians, or occupational therapists.
You should get access to an MS specialist when you’re first diagnosed with MS. If you don’t have an MS specialist, ask your GP to refer you to one.
If you have an MS specialist, guidelines say you should have a routine appointment with them once a year.
To see your specialist you might not have to wait for your next appointment to come round. They may be able to see you before then. There’s a lot of demand for appointments, but ask your GP or MS nurse if that’s possible.
If you’ve just been told you have MS, guidelines say your neurologist should have spoken to you about treatment and given you information on it when you were diagnosed. Within six weeks of this, you should get a follow-up appointment where you can talk about your treatment choices.
Official guidelines say everyone with MS should be offered an appointment with a specialist at least once a year to talk about their care. This is true no matter what kind of MS you have and whether you’re already on treatment or not. This is a chance to talk about how your MS might be treated.
This annual review is usually with a neurologist but for some people it can be with an MS nurse.
If you haven’t seen a specialist for quite a long time you have the right to ask for an appointment. And if your yearly review doesn't happen, you should ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist about getting one scheduled. It’s never too late to think about treatment.
If you haven’t seen anyone in your MS team for a while, you might need a new referral from your GP.
If you have relapses with your MS, around twenty drugs can now slow down this sort of MS and reduce relapses. They're called disease modifying therapies (DMTs). Talk to your specialist about them if they haven't already mentioned them.
DMTs won’t cure MS but they can slow it down and mean you get fewer relapses. They range from less hard hitting drugs with fewer side effects to stronger ones with more serious side effects.
There's a wide range of drugs and other therapies that can help with specific MS symptoms. And steroids can help you get over a relapse sooner. Talk to your specialist, MS nurse or GP about these.
There are a number of very effective DMTs for relapsing MS.
If you don’t feel the drug you’re taking is controlling your relapses well enough, talk over other possible DMTs with your neurologist or MS nurse. This might include the stem cell therapy HSCT. In the UK HSCT is usually only an option if one or more of the most effective DMTs hasn’t worked for you.
You can also ask your MS team about how to best manage a relapse if you have one.
Most people with progressive MS don’t qualify for any of the DMTs available in the UK at the moment. The exception is if your MS is progressive but is ‘active’. This means doctors see inflammation (new, growing or active lesions) on your MRI scans. Or you might still get the occasional relapse.
If you have secondary progressive MS and it’s ‘active’, then siponimod (Mayzent) might help you.
The DMT called ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) can work against primary progressive MS early on and if your MRI scans show inflammation. You also need to have a score on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) between 3.0 and 6.5. This drug has been recommended for use on the NHS for this kind of MS since 2019 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in Scotland since the start of 2020.
A trial from 2025 showed that ocrelizumab slowed down disability and loss of hand and arm function in more people with progressive MS than we thought. This includes people with more advanced progressive MS. So, in the future more people with progressive MS might qualify for a DMT.
Another DMT, called HSCT, might also be able to slow down ‘active’ progressive MS.
There are also lots of treatments, therapies, lifestyle changes and devices that help with the symptoms or disability caused by progressive MS. Ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist for help.
Our researchers are working to find treatments for progressive MS.
Some MS drug treatments contain animal products, like gelatine. Or animal products might have been used in how the drug is made. Your doctor or nurse can explain if that’s the case for your drug. The patient information booklet included with your medication should mention if the drug contains animal products.
First questions about MS treatments
If you have relapsing remitting MS, around twenty drugs can now reduce relapses and slow down MS progression. They're called disease modifying therapies (DMTs). Talk to your specialist about them if they haven't already mentioned them.
DMTs won’t cure MS but they can slow it down and mean you get fewer relapses. They range from less hard-hitting drugs with fewer side effects to stronger ones with more serious side effects.
There's a wide range of drugs and other therapies that can help with specific MS symptoms. And steroids can help you get over a relapse sooner. Talk to your specialist, MS nurse or GP about these.
There are a number of very effective DMTs for relapsing MS.
If you don’t feel the drug you’re taking is controlling your relapses well enough, talk over other possible DMTs with your neurologist or MS nurse. This might include the stem cell therapy HSCT. In the UK HSCT is usually only an option if one or more of the most effective DMTs hasn’t worked for you.
It’s best you speak to an MS specialist, like a neurologist who has many patients with MS. An MS nurse can also talk about treatments in general. Only an MS specialist can give you advice on treating your MS and prescribe drugs for you. They might refer on to other health care professionals like neuro-physiotherapists, dietitians, or occupational therapists.
To see your specialist you might not have to wait for your next appointment to come round. They may be able to see you before then. There’s a lot of demand for appointments, but ask your GP or MS nurse if that’s possible.
If you don’t already have an MS specialist, ask your GP to refer you to one.
Official guidelines say everyone with MS should be offered an appointment with a specialist at least once a year to talk about their care. This is true no matter what kind of MS you have and whether you’re already on treatment or not. This is a chance to talk about how your MS might be treated.
This annual review is usually with a neurologist but for some people it can be with an MS nurse.
If you haven’t seen a specialist for quite a long time you have the right to ask for an appointment. And if your yearly review doesn't happen, you should ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist about getting one scheduled. It’s never too late to think about treatment.
If you haven’t seen anyone in your MS team for a while, you might need a new referral from your GP.
If you’ve just been told you have MS, guidelines say your neurologist should have spoken to you about treatment and given you information on it when you were diagnosed. Within six weeks of this you should get a follow-up appointment where you can talk about your treatment choices.
Most people with progressive MS don’t qualify for any of the DMTs available in the UK at the moment. The exception is if your MS is progressive but is classed as ‘active’. This means you still get relapses, or doctors see inflammation on your MRI scans. If you have secondary progressive MS and it’s ‘active’, then siponimod (Mayzent) might help you.
A DMT called ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) can work against primary progressive MS early on and if inflammation can be seen on your MRI scans. You need to have a score on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) between 3.0 and 6.5. This drug has been recommended for use on the NHS for this kind of MS since 2019 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in Scotland since the start of 2020.
A trial from 2025 showed that ocrelizumab slowed down disability and loss of hand and arm function in more people with progressive MS than we thought. This includes people with more advanced progressive MS. So, in the future more people with progressive MS might qualify for a DMT.
Another DMT, called HSCT, might also be able to slow down MS if you have ‘active’ progressive MS.
But there are lots of treatments, therapies, lifestyle changes and devices that help with the symptoms or disability caused by progressive MS. Ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist for help.
Our researchers are working to find treatments for progressive MS.
Some MS drug treatments contain animal products, like gelatine. Or animal products might have been used in how the drug is made. Your doctor or nurse can explain if that’s the case for your drug. The patient information booklet included with your medication should mention if the drug contains animal products.
First questions about MS treatments
If your secondary progressive MS is classed as ‘active’, you might be able to use a disease modifying therapy (DMT) called siponimod (Mayzent). ‘Active’ means you still get relapses, or doctors see inflammation on your MRI scans.
Another DMT called HSCT might also be able to slow down MS if you have ‘active’ progressive MS.
For some people with primary progressive MS, the DMT ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) is available. It can work for early primary progressive MS if MRI scans show inflammation. People also need to have a score on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) between 3.0 and 6.5. This drug has been recommended for use on the NHS for this kind of MS since 2019 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in Scotland since the start of 2020.
A trial from 2025 showed that ocrelizumab slowed down disability and loss of hand and arm function in more people with progressive MS than we thought. This includes people with more advanced progressive MS. So, in the future more people with progressive MS might qualify for a DMT.
There are lots of treatments, therapies, lifestyle changes and devices that help with the symptoms or disability caused by progressive MS. Ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist for help.
Our researchers are working to find treatments for progressive MS.
It’s best you speak to an MS specialist, like a neurologist who has many patients with MS. An MS nurse can also talk about treatments in general. Only an MS specialist can give you advice on treating your MS and prescribe drugs for you. They might refer on to other health care professionals like neuro-physiotherapists, dietitians, or occupational therapists.
To see your specialist you might not have to wait for your next appointment to come round. They may be able to see you before then. There’s a lot of demand for appointments, but ask your GP or MS nurse if that’s possible.
If you don’t already have an MS specialist, ask your GP to refer you to one. If you haven’t seen one for many years, you can contact the neurology department if you still have their details, or speak to your GP about it.
Official guidelines say everyone with MS should be offered an appointment with a specialist at least once a year to talk about their care. This is true no matter what kind of MS you have and whether you’re already on treatment or not. This is a chance to talk about how your MS might be treated.
This annual review is usually with a neurologist but for some people it can be with an MS nurse.
If you haven’t seen a specialist for quite a long time you have the right to ask for an appointment. And if your yearly review doesn't happen, you should ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist about getting one scheduled. It’s never too late to think about treatment.
If you haven’t seen anyone in your MS team for a while, you might need a new referral from your GP.
If you’ve just been told you have MS, guidelines say your neurologist should have spoken to you about treatment and given you information on it when you were diagnosed. Within six weeks of this you should get a follow-up appointment where you can talk about your treatment choices.
There are around twenty drugs that can be used to slow down relapsing remitting MS and reduce relapses. They're called disease modifying therapies (DMTs).
DMTs don’t cure MS but they can slow it down and mean people get fewer relapses. They range from less hard hitting drugs with fewer side effects to stronger ones with more serious side effects. MS specialists can help people find the right DMT for them.
There's a wide range of drugs and other therapies that can help with specific MS symptoms. And if you have relapses with your MS, steroids can help you get over a those sooner. Talk to your specialist, MS nurse or GP about these.
Some MS drug treatments contain animal products, like gelatine. Or animal products might have been used in how the drug is made. Your doctor or nurse can explain if that’s the case for your drug. The patient information booklet included with your medication should mention if the drug contains animal products.
First questions about MS treatments
Most people with progressive MS don’t qualify for any of the DMTs available in the UK at the moment. The exception is if your MS is progressive but is classed as ‘active’. This means doctors see inflammation (new, growing or active lesions) on your MRI scans. Or you might still get the occasional relapse.
For some people with primary progressive MS, the DMT ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) is available. It can work for early primary progressive MS if there’s inflammation on MRI scans. People also need to have a score on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) between 3.0 and 6.5. This drug has been recommended for use on the NHS for this kind of MS since 2019 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in Scotland since the start of 2020.
A trial from 2025 showed that ocrelizumab slowed down disability and loss of hand and arm function in more people with progressive MS than we thought. This includes people with more advanced progressive MS. So, in the future more people with progressive MS might qualify for a DMT.
Another DMT called HSCT might also be able to slow down MS if you have ‘active’ progressive MS. ‘Active’ means you have relapses or signs of inflammation on your MRI scans.
If you have secondary progressive MS and it’s ‘active’, then a DMT called siponimod (Mayzent) might help you.
There are lots of treatments, therapies, lifestyle changes and devices that help with the symptoms or disability caused by progressive MS. Ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist for help.
Our researchers are working to find treatments for progressive MS.
It’s best you speak to an MS specialist, like a neurologist who has many patients with MS. An MS nurse can also talk about treatments in general. Only an MS specialist can give you advice on treating your MS and prescribe drugs for you. They might refer on to other health care professionals like neuro-physiotherapists, dietitians, or occupational therapists.
To see your specialist you might not have to wait for your next appointment to come round. They may be able to see you before then. There’s a lot of demand for appointments, but ask your GP or MS nurse if that’s possible.
If you don’t already have an MS specialist, ask your GP to refer you to one. If you haven’t seen one for many years, you can contact the neurology department if you still have their details, or speak to your GP about it.
Official guidelines say everyone with MS should be offered an appointment with a specialist at least once a year to talk about their care. This is true no matter what kind of MS you have and whether you’re already on treatment or not. This is a chance to talk about how your MS might be treated.
This annual review is usually with a neurologist but for some people it can be with an MS nurse.
If you haven’t seen a specialist for quite a long time you have the right to ask for an appointment. And if your yearly review doesn't happen, you should ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist about getting one scheduled. It’s never too late to think about treatment.
If you haven’t seen anyone in your MS team for a while, you might need a new referral from your GP.
If you’ve just been told you have MS, guidelines say your neurologist should have spoken to you about treatment and given you information on it when you were diagnosed. Within six weeks of this you should get a follow-up appointment where you can talk about your treatment choices.
There are around twenty drugs that can be used to slow down relapsing remitting MS and reduce relapses. They're called disease modifying therapies (DMTs).
DMTs don’t cure MS but they can slow it down and mean people get fewer relapses. They range from less hard hitting drugs with fewer side effects to stronger ones with more serious side effects. MS specialists can help people find the right DMT for them.
There's a wide range of drugs and other therapies that can help with specific MS symptoms. And if you get relapses, steroids can help get over these sooner. Whatever kind of MS you’ve got, talk to your specialist, MS nurse or GP about how to manage and treat your symptoms.
Some MS drug treatments contain animal products, like gelatine. Or animal products might have been used in how the drug is made. Your doctor or nurse can explain if that’s the case for your drug. The patient information booklet included with your medication should mention if the drug contains animal products.
First questions about MS treatments
You can find out about different treatments and ways to manage MS on our website in our free information booklets, and from our MS Helpline. The helpline is there for anyone affected by MS, including family and friends.
The best health professionals to speak to about MS treatment are MS specialists, like a neurologist who has many patients with MS. An MS nurse can also talk about treatments in general. Only an MS specialist can give advice on treating MS and prescribe drugs for it. They might refer on to other health care professionals like neuro-physiotherapists, dietitians, or occupational therapists.
To see a specialist the person with MS might not have to wait for their next appointment to come round. They may be able to see them before then. There’s a lot of demand for appointments, but ask their GP or MS nurse if that’s possible.
If the person with MS doesn’t already have an MS specialist, the GP can refer them to one. If they haven’t seen one for many years, they can contact the neurology department if they still have their details, or speak to the GP about it.
If the person with MS wants someone with them at appointments, you might find you can help by taking notes, or helping to remember useful details.
Official guidelines say everyone with MS should be offered an appointment with a specialist at least once a year to talk about their care. This is true no matter what kind of MS they have and whether they’re already on treatment or not. This is a chance to talk about the best course of treatment.
This annual review is usually with a neurologist but for some people it can be with an MS nurse.
If a friend, loved one, or someone you care for hasn’t seen their MS specialist for quite a long time, they have the right to ask for an appointment. And if their yearly review doesn't happen, they can ask their GP, MS nurse or neurologist about getting one scheduled. It’s never too late to think about treatment.
If someone hasn’t seen anyone in their MS team for a while, they might need a new referral from their GP.
If someone you know has just been told they have MS, guidelines say a neurologist should have spoken to them about treatment and given them information on it when they were diagnosed. Within six weeks of this they should get a follow-up appointment where they can talk about their treatment choices.
Around twenty drugs can now slow down relapsing remitting MS and reduce relapses. They're called disease modifying therapies (DMTs). An MS specialist can give more information about them.
DMTs won’t cure MS but they can slow it down and mean fewer relapses. They range from less hard-hitting drugs with fewer side effects to stronger ones with more serious side effects.
There's a wide range of drugs and other therapies that can help with specific MS symptoms. And steroids can help people get over relapses sooner. An MS specialist, MS nurse or GP can give more information about these.
There are a number of very effective DMTs for relapsing MS.
If your friend or family member with MS doesn’t feel the drug they’re taking is controlling their relapses well enough, they can talk over other possible DMTs with their neurologist or MS nurse. This might include the stem cell therapy HSCT. In the UK HSCT is usually only an option if one or more of the most effective DMTs hasn’t worked.
Most people with progressive MS don’t qualify for any of the DMTs available in the UK at the moment. The exception is if the MS is progressive but is classed as ‘active’. This means the person still gets relapses, or doctors see inflammation on their MRI scans.
The DMT siponimod (Mayzent) is available for some people with secondary progressive MS that’s ‘active’.
A DMT called ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) can work against primary progressive MS early on and if inflammation can be seen on your MRI scans. The person needs to have a score on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) between 3.0 and 6.5. This drug has been recommended for use on the NHS for this kind of MS since 2019 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in Scotland since the start of 2020.
A trial from 2025 showed that ocrelizumab slowed down disability and loss of hand and arm function in more people with progressive MS than we thought. This includes people with more advanced progressive MS. So, in the future more people with progressive MS might qualify for a DMT.
Another DMT, called HSCT, might also be able to slow down MS if someone has ‘active’ progressive MS.
Our researchers are working to find treatments for progressive MS.
There are lots of treatments, therapies, lifestyle changes and devices that help with the symptoms or disability caused by progressive MS. Ask a GP, MS nurse or neurologist for help.
Some MS drug treatments contain animal products, like gelatine. Or animal products might have been used in how the drug is made. Your doctor or nurse can explain if that’s the case for your drug. The patient information booklet included with your medication should mention if the drug contains animal products.
First questions about MS treatments
It’s best you speak to an MS specialist, like a neurologist who has many patients with MS. An MS nurse can also talk about treatments in general. Only an MS specialist can give you advice on treating your MS and prescribe drugs for you. They might refer on to other health care professionals like neuro-physiotherapists, dietitians, or occupational therapists.
To see your specialist you might not have to wait for your next appointment to come round. They may be able to see you before then. There’s a lot of demand for appointments, but ask your GP or MS nurse if that’s possible.
If you don’t already have an MS specialist, ask your GP to refer you to one.
Official guidelines say everyone with MS should be offered an appointment with a specialist at least once a year to talk about their care. This is true no matter what kind of MS you have and whether you’re already on treatment or not. This is a chance to talk about how your MS might be treated.
This annual review is usually with a neurologist but for some people it can be with an MS nurse.
If you haven’t seen a specialist for quite a long time you have the right to ask for an appointment. And if your yearly review doesn't happen, you should ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist about getting one scheduled. It’s never too late to think about treatment.
If you haven’t seen anyone in your MS team for a while, you might need a new referral from your GP.
If you’ve just been told you have MS, guidelines say your neurologist should have spoken to you about treatment and given you information on it when you were diagnosed. Within six weeks of this you should get a follow-up appointment where you can talk about your treatment choices.
If you have relapsing remitting MS, around twenty drugs can now slow down this sort of MS and reduce relapses. They're called disease modifying therapies (DMTs). Talk to your specialist about them if they haven't already mentioned them.
DMTs won’t cure MS but they can slow it down and mean you get fewer relapses. They range from less hard-hitting drugs with fewer side effects to stronger ones with more serious side effects.
There's a wide range of drugs and other therapies that can help with specific MS symptoms. And steroids can help you get over a relapse sooner. Talk to your specialist, MS nurse or GP about these.
There are a number of very effective DMTs for relapsing MS.
If you don’t feel the drug you’re taking is controlling your relapses well enough, talk over other possible DMTs with your neurologist or MS nurse. This might include the stem cell therapy HSCT. In the UK HSCT is only an option if one or more of the most effective DMTs hasn’t worked for you.
Most people with progressive MS don’t qualify for any of the DMTs available in the UK at the moment. The exception is if your MS is progressive but is classed as ‘active’. This means you still get relapses, or doctors see inflammation on your MRI scans.
If you have secondary progressive MS and it’s ‘active’, then siponimod (Mayzent) might help you.
A DMT called ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) can work against primary progressive MS early on and if your MRI scans show inflammation. You also need to have a score on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) between 3.0 and 6.5. This drug has been recommended for use on the NHS for this kind of MS since 2019 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and in Scotland since the start of 2020.
A trial from 2025 showed that ocrelizumab slowed down disability and loss of hand and arm function in more people with progressive MS than we thought. This includes people with more advanced progressive MS. So, in the future more people with progressive MS might qualify for a DMT.
Another DMT, called HSCT, might also be able to slow down MS if someone has ‘active’ progressive MS.
But there are lots of treatments, therapies, lifestyle changes and devices that help with the symptoms or disability caused by progressive MS. Ask your GP, MS nurse or neurologist for help.
Our researchers are working to find treatments for progressive MS.
Some MS drug treatments contain animal products, like gelatine. Or animal products might have been used in how the drug is made. Your doctor or nurse can explain if that’s the case for your drug. The patient information booklet included with your medication should mention if the drug contains animal products.
What to do when
Maybe you don’t agree with what your specialist says about treating your MS. Or perhaps you don’t understand the information they’ve given you.
It’s worth first talking to your neurologist about your concerns or if you'd like to consider a different course of treatment.
If you're unhappy with a doctor's decision, you can ask to see what another doctor thinks. You'll need to ask your current doctor to arrange for this second opinion.
There’s no law at the moment that says you have a right to a second opinion. But General Medical Council guidelines for doctors say they should respect your wish for a second opinion. Doctors usually agree to a reasonable request for one.
It can be difficult to get an appointment with a neurologist and long waiting times are sometimes an issue.
Neurologists are meant to follow NICE recommendations and offer everyone with MS a comprehensive review of all aspects of their care at least once a year.
While you're waiting to see your neurologist, we recommend speaking to your MS nurse about your treatment options so you're prepared when you see them.
If you've been waiting a long time for an appointment with a neurologist and are concerned about the impact on your MS, please get in touch with at [email protected]. Sharing your experiences helps us make the case locally for MS services and campaign for better access to treatments.
If you've been waiting a long time for an appointment with a neurologist and would like some information and support on what services are available to you, please contact our MS Help team on 0808 800 8000 or at [email protected].
When you have a diagnosis of relapsing MS, your neurologist should guide you through which treatments you're eligible for and help you make a decision.
If you feel you're not being prescribed a DMT you're eligible for, this could be due to a number of different reasons. If you have a clinician who's reluctant to prescribe you a treatment, that doesn't mean you're not eligible for any. It's important to be aware of your treatment options before you see your specialist.
If you're unclear about why you're not being offered your preferred treatment option, we may be able to help. Contact your local Regional External Relations Officer who may be able to raise the issue with decision-makers locally.
Some treatments that could help you have either been rejected by your national level commissioner or haven't been reviewed for treating MS on the NHS yet.
Whether you'll have any success accessing these treatments will depend on how expensive they are for your local NHS to fund and whether national commissioners have explicitly recommended they shouldn't be used.
For exceptional circumstances it is possible to receive NHS funding through applying for an individual funding request.
To access treatments that haven't been approved for MS on the NHS you may want to try to get an Individual Funding Request (IFR) or Individual Patient Treatment Request (IPTR) in Scotland. These are to request funding for people who are considered to have exceptional clinical circumstances. They have to be submitted by a healthcare professional.
These requests are submitted to your local commissioner. The treatments are not routinely available and it's unlikely funding will be granted for a non-approved treatment where there are lots of people who'd like to access it for the same reason.
Your neurologist will be able to advise you on the likely success of submitting a request.
HSCT is now being funded by the NHS for people with relapsing MS who have continued to have relapses despite taking one or more of the more effective DMTs. But it's not yet widely available.
NICE will review HSCT for the NHS in England and Wales once they have enough clinical trial evidence. This appraisal will decide whether it should be made more widely available.
Find out about your rights in different parts of the UK
The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are responsible for approving DMTs for England and Wales. Once NICE approves a treatment, the NHS across England and Wales has three months to implement that guidance. Once that has happened patients are legally entitled to be prescribed the treatment (so long as they meet the eligibility criteria).
The Department of Health, Social Service and Public safety has formal links with NICE. Once NICE approves a treatment it's reviewed locally for applicability to Northern Ireland. Where appropriate it's then endorsed for implementation in Health and Social Care (HSC). This process should be completed within 8 weeks.
The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) is responsible for approving DMTs in Scotland. When the SMC approves a DMT, the NHS boards in Scotland take it into account when they decide which medicines are available in their area. But they don’t have to follow the SMC decision.
Making an official complaint
If a NICE approved treatment that you're eligible to take is unavailable in your area, you can make an official complaint.
Officers from the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) are available in all hospitals. They offer confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters to patients, their families and carer.
If you have a complaint about your level of treatment you can contact the Patient and Client Council who support NHS patients with complaints in Northern Ireland.
Find contact details for each health trust's complaints department
If you have a complaint about your level of treatment you can contact the Patient Advice and Support Service (PASS) who provide free, confidential advice and support for NHS patients in Scotland.
If you're repeatedly denied a treatment you feel you're eligible to take, you can contact your MP, SMP or Assembly Member to help you challenge the decision. Find out who your representatives are here.
Contact our MS Help team on 0808 800 8000 for support and information about taking this step.
Last full review: 1 May 2026
Next review date: 1 May 2029
We also update when we know about important changes.
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Whether you're looking to learn more about MS diagnosis, treatments, or care and support, our booklets and factsheets are packed full of useful information.
You can download them from our website or order copies from our online shop.
Helpful resources for relapsing MS
Whether you're looking to learn more about relapsing remitting MS, treatments, or care and support, our booklets and factsheets are packed full of useful information.
You can download them from our website or order copies from our online shop.
Helpful resources for secondary progressive MS
We have a range of booklets and factsheets packed full of useful information if you’re living with secondary progressive MS. From understanding progressive MS to managing symptoms and getting support.
You can download them from our website or order copies from our online shop.
Helpful resources for primary progressive MS
We have a range of booklets and factsheets packed full of useful information if you’re living with primary progressive MS. From understanding progressive MS to managing symptoms and getting support.
You can download them from our website or order copies from our online shop.
Helpful resources for friends, family and carers
Learn more about MS symptoms and treatment, supporting someone with MS and looking after yourself as a carer. Our booklets and factsheets are packed full of useful information.
You can download them from our website or order copies from our online shop.
Helpful resources
From symptoms and treatments to accessing care and support, our booklets and factsheets are packed full of information and tips on living well with MS.
You can download them from our website or order copies from our online shop.