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UK’s first Multiple Sclerosis clinic at Nottingham Hospitals celebrates 30 years
UK’s first dedicated Multiple Sclerosis review clinic at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust celebrates 30 years
Nottingham University Hospitals Trust (NUH) is proud to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the UK’s first dedicated Multiple Sclerosis (MS) review clinic which was started on July 3rd 1995.
The idea was originally conceived by Professor Blumhardt who wanted to review patients who might be eligible for the newly available disease modifying therapies (DMT).
He also recognised the need for patient support and education from the point of diagnosis, as well as support in managing their symptoms more effectively.
The first NHS-funded MS nurse in the UK was appointed to join the professor from the start and that nurse, Shannon Gaughan, has shared her memories from those early days of the new clinic.
Shannon said: “Our vision at the time was to see, assess and treat patients as soon as possible from the time of diagnosis. This would then give the patients the best chance of preventing symptoms of the disease and help reduce severe disability.
“We also wanted to offer services close to home preventing the need to travel long distances for treatment. By doing this we hoped our patients would stand a chance of continuing to enjoy life and fulfilling their dreams whilst their disease was better controlled.”
The first DMTs were approved for use in 1995, but funding by the NHS for the treatment took some time and the list of patients assessed as eligible for the treatment was growing.
In 1996, funding was agreed for a small number of patients, but it continued to be a postcode lottery. By 2002, the MS risk sharing scheme commenced which paved the way for the use of many treatments that are available today.
On the 30th anniversary of the MS review clinic at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) Shannon Gaughan said: “It is fitting to say that from one tiny acorn this service has developed into the mighty oak it is.
“We were very privileged to be involved at the start of this journey and to have been part of so many of our patient’s lives as well as the valuable lessons we have learn from their lived experiences.
“It is fantastic to think that we can now achieve the original goal to treat early and prevent disease activity transforming the outlook for patients who are newly diagnosed with MS.”
Terri Dixon is now the MS clinic’s lead nurse and said: “We have a lovely new building at the Leengate and we have eight clinics a week. I know back when the service started it was just one clinic on a Thursday and that was it, so we have really expanded, and I can probably foresee that we will have more nurse-led clinics in the future.”
Gary Rooksby has been a patient at the NUH MS Clinic for 24 years and said: “They support us and it makes the world of difference. They’ve been there for me since my first major relapse in 2001 so it’s quite a family.
“They are benefitting people day in day out. It chokes me up. It makes such a difference to life. I am so lucky.”
On this huge milestone and celebration of 30 years of the MS clinic, Neurology Consultant at NUH, Professor Nikos Evangelou, acknowledged how far they have come.
Dr Evangelou said: “We now understand much more about Multiple Sclerosis thanks to the patient work we have done here in Nottingham.
“We are talking about a disease that we anticipate will have less damage to the brain, fewer relapses, less disability and more long-term good health for people with Multiple Sclerosis. Certainly, we are optimistic.”