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Muscular Dystrophy support
17/03/2010
A service for muscular dystrophy patients will now be funded by NHSScotland, safeguarding its future for people with this group of diseases and their families.
The two part-time care advisor posts - based in Lothian and Glasgow, but covering the entire country - have been funded up until now by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign.
However, Public Health Minister Shona Robison confirmed today that the service would in future be funded by the NHS, after the campaign said it would not be able to continue funding the service.
Ms Robison said:
"The care advisors provide practical and emotional support for people with muscular dystrophy and their families. Not only are they an invaluable source of support, but they can also help to reduce emergency hospital admissions and co-ordinate care in the home.
"This is an important service and I am pleased that NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are contributing the resources needed to ensure it continues. This arrangement has only been possible because of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's willingness to part-fund the posts in 2010-11."
The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's director of care and support, Lyn Inman, said:
"We are delighted that the NHS has agreed to fund these two vitally important care advisor positions in Scotland, who make such a difference to the lives of so many families in Scotland living with muscle disease.
"This is a great step forward and we hope that the current neuromuscular service review going on in Scotland will result in even more positive changes for people with muscular dystrophy."