MS Trust fears "critical impact" on patients caused by pandemic
One woman from Bristol has struggled to get a doctors appointment since last summer
More than half of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the UK have felt either anxious or hopeless in the last month, because of issues caused by the pandemic.
That's according to figures released by NeuroLifeNow and highlighted by the MS Trust.
They show 54 percent of people with MS have admitted to those issues in the last month, while 23 percent of them feel their mental health needs are going unmet.
The University of Reading also recently produced similar research, finding that 36 percent of participants reported a negative impact on their wellbeing caused by the pandemic.
We have spoken to Sally Shervington who was diagnosed with MS in 2006 and lives on the harbourside in Bristol.
She told us she feels lucky having been able to get into the office for work and travel around on a scooter, but added she's been left frustrated by an inability to book doctors appointments.
"I did actually call to try and get an appointment back in October, having had a previous appointment in July, but nothing came of that," she said.
"It's frustrating, because I'm 15 years in and it took five years originally to get onto any disease modifying drugs as opposed to nowadays you're more likely to be put on something much more quickly.
"So it is a frustration because every month is a challenge to my mobility."
She adds her scooter helps her hugely in being able to maintain a normal life, but a lack of appointments is potentially stopping her from managing MS better.
"If I were able to get an appointment to talk about a new drug to get onto...then it would be really helpful."
David Martin is the chief executive of the MS Trust.
"There's two big factors that will emerge from this COVID pandemic that we've had," he told us.
"First and foremost I think there will be hundreds of people who probably have got multiple sclerosis at the moment but haven't even got beyond their GP. They haven't been referred by their GP to the neurologist.
"So those people are almost trying to muddle through, in pain and in difficulties.
"And then if they have got beyond their GP there are then some people who have been diagnosed with MS, possibly face to face, but sometimes that has happened over the phone, but because the full range of tests can't be carried out, then the neurologists are nervous about putting these people on the dozen or so drugs that are available.
"Those drugs help dampen down the symptoms and help to effectively delay the day when those people become more disabled and possibly stop them from working."
Sally explains that in face to face appointments certain physical tests can be carried out to establish a person's symptoms and their need to treatment but with face to face appointments difficult to get during the pandemic, proper care has not been possible
David from the MS Trust believes we're going to see a "critical impact" over the next few years.