The impact of Covid-19 and the future of care for people with a muscle-wasting condition in Scotland (19 January 2022)

Summary

This report by Muscular Dystrophy UK looks at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on people living with muscle-wasting conditions, according to the results of a survey conducted in Scotland. It is estimated that more than 6,000 people in Scotland live with a muscle-wasting condition and require access to a range of specialist appointments and clinicians to meet their complex care needs.

Content

The report highlights how the pandemic has affected people with muscle-wasting conditions, looking at the physical and psychological impact of shielding and disrupted access to healthcare services.

Based on the findings of its report, Muscular Dystrophy UK is calling for both short and long-term recovery priorities:

• Increased investment in the national neuromuscular teams with more neuromuscular consultant, physiotherapy, nurse specialist and psychology time
• Appointing a full-time network manager with administration support for the Scottish Muscle Network
• Reduce waiting lists, address the growing backlog of new and follow-up appointments by implementing virtual outreach clinics in local areas
• Consider flexibilities into the yearly growth of block contracts to reflect the growing neuromuscular population and increase in complex care needs