Are multiple sclerosis services meeting the NICE quality standard?

Abstract

In December 2017, the 15th annual Clinical Healthcare Academy Redefining Multiple Sclerosis (CHARMS) conference supported by Merck was held in London. Senior representatives from the multiple sclerosis (MS) nursing community sought to identify whether MS professionals across the UK consider the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) quality standard in MS is currently being achieved and, if not, what were the barriers to service adherence. Issues identified included a lack of clinic capacity, poor or no access to neurophysiotherapy, and the absence of relapse or emergency clinic slots for patients in relapse. The significant burden of monitoring and administration of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) was identified as contributing to the lack of capacity.