West Midlands Muscle Group
Improving neuromuscular services in the West Midlands
The West Midlands Muscle Group, from Worcester to Stoke, is campaigning for everyone with muscular dystrophy or a related neuromuscular condition in the region to have access to specialist multi-disciplinary care.
The West Midlands Muscle Group campaigners, in conjunction with the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, will be monitoring progress closely to ensure that there is effective implementation of the approved £400,000 investment, as well as continuing to campaign for further investment in improving neuromuscular services in the region.
Details of the next West Midlands Muscle Group meeting in Birmingham coming soon... and a template letter to send to your MP in the West Midlands
Join the fight - contact the Campaigns Team to join and find out more about the West Midlands Muscle Group: 020 7803 2865 or campaigns@muscular-dystrophy.org
Get involved even if you can't come to Muscle Groups meetings
Gaps and weakness - problems uncovered
The West Midlands Muscle Group was launched in April 2009, following a hard-hitting report by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign which revealed that:
- 50% of neuromuscular patients are not receiving specialist care
- a number of essential clinical posts are vulnerable as they are funded by limited charitable funds
- existing specialist clinics do not have capacity to meet current demand
- long waits for specialist wheelchairs - of at least 18 months in some parts of Birmingham
Progress already made
Families in the West Midlands are celebrating a major breakthrough in the fight to improve specialist muscle disease services in the West Midlands as the West Midlands Specialised Commissioning Group, representing the 17 Primary Care Trusts in the region and working with the Strategic Health Authority, have approved a £400,000 investment in neuromuscular services.
This success is thanks to the tireless campaigning efforts of the patients, families and clinicians in the West Midlands Muscle Group alongside the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign - and health bosses have said that this is only the first phase of the transformation of services for these rare conditions. Find out more about the investment...
Birmingham Erdington MP, Jack Dromey, has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament in support of the West Midlands Muscle Group and to welcome the investment in neuromuscular services.
Putting on the Pressure - How you can help
The next steps in the fight are:
- Muscle Group members all over the region are also researching local wheelchair provision - get in touch with your experiences.
Action Points
Read the West Midlands Muscle Group Birmingham Meeting Action Points from 22 April 2010
Read the West Midlands Muscle Group Autumn Meeting Notes from 7 October 2010
