MS Ireland launches campaign to fund a physio for Midland region

MS Ireland has launched a campaign for Government funding from the 2024 National Service Plan to employ a full-time physiotherapist in the Midlands region including Offaly and Westmeath as part of a new proposed national physiotherapy programme for people with multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions like Parkinson’s and stroke.

MS Ireland research has shown a significant reduction of 43% in healthcare services usage from current programme participants resulting in huge cost savings to the health service. The research also showed marked improvements in wellbeing with statistically and clinically significant improvements in balance and strength levels.

Dr Susan Coote, MS Ireland’s Exercise and Physiotherapy Co-Ordinator spoke to Dr Diane Cooper on the Health and Fitness Show on Midlands 103 about the current insufficient specialist neurological physiotherapy services in the Midlands Region and outlined the need for Government support to implement this service by providing sustainable national funding.

“The funding of this program would provide much needed specialist services in the midlands and address the issue of insufficient access to local primary care physiotherapists due to long waiting lists," Dr Coote stated.

“There are more than 700,000 people living with neurological conditions in Ireland, and these account for one in eight consultations in primary care and one in five emergency medical admissions to hospital.  Over 9,000 people live with MS in Ireland, which is one of the largest progressive neurological diagnoses that primarily feature physical disability.

“Physiotherapy plays a vital role in improving and maintaining both physical and mental health symptoms and enabling people with MS, and other progressive neurological conditions, to live healthily in their communities and to prevent the development of secondary health issues.

“People with MS have very significant annual health service utilisation with 54,000 GP visits, 16,450 nights in hospital, 1,544 emergency department visits per year. The costs of MS increase with increasing disability, therefore maintaining people’s status and rehabilitating post relapse or with progression is key," she added.

MS Ireland (Multiple Sclerosis) has a vision to significantly improve services for people with MS and other progress neurological conditions, and in doing so promote their well-being and significantly reduce costs elsewhere in the health service.

“Our research shows that delaying and reducing disability due to MS could reduce costs to the Irish health system annually by up to €19m. We have found that participation in our exercise programmes leads to increased confidence to self manage their condition and leads to long term physical activity changes," Dr Coote outlined.

In any three-month period over 50% of people with MS will fall, which is similar to the falls rate of people over the age of 85. MS Ireland’s physiotherapy programmes teach people how to analyse their falls and gives them management strategies to prevent future falls. MS Ireland have halved the number participants having falls which can often lead to serious injury like hip fractures.

“Our programmes increase physical activity levels, and confidence in the ability to be active and can therefore additionally reduce the secondary health risks associated with inactivity and of relapse.

“The Cost of MS in Ireland study has found the cost of relapses in MS in Ireland was €22.7m in 2022. Our plan is to maximise health promoting exercise for people with neurological conditions through a national physiotherapy service which delivers a specialist, tailored service to manage symptoms and prevent disability.  We forecast that this investment would deliver 3,726 individual appointments and 1,458 participants in group programmes annually," she added.

Extensive research has shown the effectiveness of MS Ireland’s physio services in reducing symptom severity, disability, falls and healthcare utilisation, and in improving mental health, physical activity participation and enabling people to live well at home.

Speaking about the current MS programs Mary from Co. Offaly said she was "very thankful to M.S. Ireland for providing physio classes for many years now. Physio really is as beneficial as medication. The classes are an excellent use of resources. I believe physio classes have played a large part in keeping me mobile and independent for 20 years now. I am very thankful for them”.

MS Ireland is now campaigning for Government support through the 2024 National Service Plan to fund this essential service of a new national physiotherapy programme for MS and other neurological conditions.