Newry Armagh Assembly Member Cathal Boylan has pledged to help ensure that people living with MS in the North have better access to treatments and services, regardless of where they live.
This comes as the MS Society revealed that people with MS often face significant barriers in accessing licensed treatments, the information to decide what is right for them and the specialists who can help.
On Tuesday 29 April Cathal Boylan helped the MS Society to launch its new campaign Treat Me Right, during its MS Week event at the NI Assembly. The charity’s campaign calls on decision-makers and the MS community to tackle the barriers which stand in the way of people getting the right treatment at the right time.
Mr Boylan said, “I’m pleased to be able to show my support for this important campaign. MS affects many of my constituents and it is unacceptable that licensed MS treatments that could help people with the condition are out of reach. I will continue to work with my constituents, fellow MLAs and organisations to drive this campaign forward.”
Patricia Gordon, Director for the MS Society in Northern Ireland said, “There are more than 4000 people living with MS in Northern Ireland and many thousands more affected, whether they’re family members, carers, friends or employers. Many people aren’t able to access MS treatments and important services like physiotherapy and counselling. This needs to change. We’ve launched a campaign called ‘Treat Me Right’ – calling for people with MS to seek a review, and for health care professionals to support people to make decisions. We’re delighted by the support we have received from MLAs for our campaign. By working together we can make that change happen”.
