Addressing economic realities: How to maintain the benefits of MS specialist nursing?

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) specialist nurses are under increasing pressure as the government′s modernization programme moves toward the creation of a more cost-effective health service and trusts seek ways to reduce financial deficits. The emphasis of health policy is also shifting toward the provision of greater patient choice. MS nurses have always used a model of care that is focused on patients′ individual needs, and may have assumed that this approach was sufficient to justify their role. The new challenge for MS nurses is to ensure that their effective work for patients continues while meeting the new demands for cost-efficiency and patient choice. MS nurses must therefore understand these new demands and find ways to meet them. Most importantly, MS nurses need to learn how to explain their work and demonstrate their effectiveness in terms of the objectives of a more cost-effective NHS that offers greater patient choice. MS nurses have been confident about their contribution to the health-care system in the past. They must now adapt to meet the new requirements, ensure that their services will be viable into the future, and become the nurse leaders of tomorrow.