The MS register and the MS Society are asking people with MS to tell us more about the impact the current coronavirus pandemic is having on their lives. Over 3,500 of you have already completed a survey asking some questions about your treatment and changes you may be making to your behaviour. We would also like to know about how you are feeling within yourself, the impact on your employment, finances, and access to appropriate care and support. As well as asking what support you might need right now.

Answers you provide to this survey will help us continue to make the case with the government and NHS for crucial care and support for our community. Over these past weeks we have been in constant communication with our medical advisors, government officials, other charities and decision makers to ensure that the needs and voices of people with MS are considered. We have been working hard to ensure that people can get the food, medications, care and financial support they need, and that the information people with MS are receiving is clear and relevant. We continue to work hard to ensure the best possible outcome for people with MS. What you tell us through this survey will give us crucial information to do so.

We also want to make sure that we are providing the information, services and support that you need at this time. You may be at home but you are never alone. Calls to our helpline have been up over the past few weeks while our community works out what the new situation means to them. Although our in-person events have been paused for the moment, we have introduced a number of virtual services and events. We have been doing weekly webinars on managing your MS. We have also introduced a ‘keeping in touch’ service to ensure people who would like social contact can receive regular phone calls – just to chat. As always, we want to make sure that the services we are providing are relevant to what you need right now. By filling out this survey you are helping us stay in touch with the needs of our community, and continue to provide those services and support that are needed.