FACE CRISIS AFTER RESIGNS FROM NHS

We are worried there will be no proper provision

FATHER-OF-ONE Mark Milligan was shocked to learn the numbness down his left side was actually multiple sclerosis.

The police sergeant admitted getting the diagnosis was “very frightening”.

But the care of his MS nurse was key to him coming to terms with his incurable illness.

Mark, 41, said: “Patients are being put at risk by not having an MS nurse. We have been really let down.

“This is a major issue for us. People are genuinely worried that there will be no proper provision.

“Nurses need to be occupationally and operationally competent, that’s what Mhairi brought to us.

“An appointment with her can save an appointment with a GP or a neurologist. I can’t speak more highly of her.

“She does an amazing job from holding introductory meetings to give patients confidence to holding clinics all over Lanarkshire and out of normal hours.”

He said: “I lost a lot of sleep at first. You just Google everything you can.

“It impacts in different ways. I suffered badly from fatigue but there are other synptoms which can impact on your life.”

Mark, from Lanarkshire, was already working in the control room before his diagnosis about 18 months ago so he has been able to continue his career.

But as he has been managing his condition, he sees no reason why he shouldn’t be able to return to operational duties.

The drug he is taking to stop him relapsing, however, has to be carefully monitored and the advice and help he has received from his nurse has been invaluable.

He said: “My bloods need to be monitored very closely, which Mhairi does.

“If the blood level drops below certain markers it exposes me to extreme danger, so I need to be monitored quarterly.

“Phlebotomy clinics can take blood but Mhairi not only takes blood, she looks at it, checks the white blood cell count to monitor it against the drug I am taking and, if there is an issue, contacts my neurologist and me so that it can be dealt with straight away.

“Non-specialist nurses wouldn’t look at it from that perspective.”

Mark is part of a community action group in Lanarkshire campaigning for urgent steps to ensure swift action is taken to improve the provision or MS nurses.

The campaign group have been seeking meetings with the chief executive of the health board to discuss the situation but have so far been unsuccessful in their efforts.