JK still angry at lack of care for multiple sclerosis
November 17, 2003 at 4:39 PM ET
grae
BBC
JK Rowling is upset that, even 13 years after her mother's death from the disease, nothing has improved.
Writing in The Sunday Herald, the patron of the MS Society Scotland said the pain of her mother's death was added to by what she claimed was the NHS's failure to provide care.
She writes: "I was very angry indeed: angry that my mother had died so young, angry at the illness that killed her, but also angry at the care, or lack of it, that she had received."
Thirteen years later Ms Rowling claims nothing has improved.
The author continued: "No fewer than 13 New Years have passed, surely there has been great improvements in the care of people with MS since then? Unfortunately and infuriatingly - the answer appears to be 'no'."
MS Society Scotland is calling on the Scottish Parliament to ensure NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, which sets standards throughout the NHS, starts working on a basic standard of care for people with MS.
According to Ms Rowling, six out of 15 Scottish health boards still have no specialist nurse provision for MS, but a national standard of care would ensure "no matter where you live health care professionals are aware of your basic needs and requirements and have the time and resources to meet them".
She added: "Would a national standard of care have made much difference to my mother?
"I am convinced that it would have done. Visits from a specialist nurse, proper support from social services, physiotherapy when appropriate: all would have improved her quality of life dramatically."