Lorely Burt MP Lends Political Muscle to Call for Better Muscle Disease Care

12.00.00am GMT Fri 5th Feb 2010

As talks between West Midlands Primary Care Trusts about investment into muscle disease services reach a critical point, MP for Solihull Lorely Burt has lent her political muscle to the fight for better healthcare.

The Solihull MP is tabling a motion in Parliament expressing her support for investing in healthcare for muscular dystrophy patients and encouraging other MPs to do the same.

PCTs have been discussing a £1.2 million pound investment in these services over the last few months and are expected to make a decision in the next week. The money is to come from the budget PCTs already have.

Currently, the West Midlands spends £6.6 million on emergency hospital admissions for muscle disease patients every year, but if £1.2 million was invested in preventative healthcare for these conditions the number of emergency admissions would be dramatically reduced, saving money in the long term.

As Lorely Burt states in her Early Day Motion (EDM), muscle disease patients without specialist preventative care are 20 times more likely to end up in an emergency admission to hospital than those who have been receiving specialist healthcare.

Lorely Burt said:

"This investment by the PCTs in preventative care for muscle diseases is vital for our region. With the money it could save us in the long term, it seems only common sense that they should commit to investing in these services.

"These patients are sorely lacking in services like physiotherapy that would make such a difference to their lives, and it's about time we committed to changing this situation in Solihull and across the West Midlands.

"I fully support the campaign to improve healthcare for West Midlands muscle disease patients and believe this investment by the PCTs would be a big step forward in achieving better results."

Campaigning mum Jane Field from Droitwich in Worcestershire, whose son Murray has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, said:

"Patients and their families, as well as clinicians from across the region, have invested a huge amount of time and effort in this NHS review.

"We are on the verge of a major breakthrough in the way care is delivered to families like ours - but the plans will get completely derailed unless PCTs sign up to the proposals."

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's head of policy and campaigns Nic Bungay said:

"We are within touching distance of making better healthcare services for West Midlands muscle disease patients a reality.

"The investment in preventative care by the PCTs would have a huge effect in the region and really improve the quality of life of muscle disease patients in the West Midlands."

To find out more about muscle disease healthcare in the West Midlands and the work of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign go to www.muscular-dystrophy.org.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is the leading UK charity focusing on muscle disease. It has pioneered the search for treatments and cures for 50 years, and is dedicated to improving the lives of all people affected by muscle disease.

It funds world-class research to find effective treatments and cures; provides free practical and emotional support; campaigns to raise awareness and bring about change and awards grants towards the cost of specialist equipment.