Pharmafile Logo

New analysis shows emergency hospital admissions for people with Multiple Sclerosis continue to rise

April 26, 2017 | Emergency care, Multiple Sclerosis 

Updated data published by Wilmington Healthcare and the MS Trust highlights need for more preventative care for MS patients

Emergency hospital admissions for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are on the rise and costing the NHS millions; yet many of them could be avoided, according to a new summary of data by healthcare intelligence provider Wilmington Healthcare and the charity, the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Trust.  

The information, which updates the authors’ previous analysis of English Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) from 2013/14, shows that emergency hospital admissions for people with MS in England increased by 12.7 percent over the two years to 2015/16.
 

According to the latest HES data, there were 26,679 emergency hospital admissions for people with MS in England in 2015/16, compared to 23,665 in 2013/14, and this cost the NHS a total of £46m.  

However, a large proportion of this emergency care was for problems which could have been avoided with proactive, preventative care and earlier diagnosis and intervention in the community.
 

For example, the report found that urinary tract infections accounted for 14 percent of emergency admissions for MS in 2015/16 and they cost £2,639 per patient; while respiratory issues cost the NHS a total of £5.4m.   Overall, admissions for bladder and bowel related issues for people with MS cost £10.4m in 2015/16.
 

The report found that nearly one in five of the 89,030 people living with MS in England were admitted to hospital as an emergency in 2015/16.  The average cost per admission was £1,733 and the average length of stay was 8.2 days.
 

Sue Thomas, CEO of the Commissioning Excellence Directorate for Wilmington Healthcare, said: “Our latest report shows that the problems we highlighted in our original 2013/14 analysis have increased in the past couple of years. A growing number of patients with MS are being admitted to hospital for emergency care; yet many of these admissions could have been avoided with earlier intervention.  

“Preventative care strategies for people with MS must be reviewed in order to tackle problems, such as respiratory and urinary tract infections, at an early stage to try to avert the need for emergency care. This would not only be of huge benefit to patients, it would also reduce pressure on struggling A&E departments.”  

Pam Macfarlane, Chief Executive of the MS Trust, which provides information for people with MS and supports MS specialist services, said: “It is disappointing to see that avoidable emergency hospital admissions for people with MS have continued to rise in 2015/16.
 

“Last November, the MS Trust brought together partners from across the MS sector to publish the MS Forward View consensus. This showed that people with MS need a flexible blend of care, comprising disease modification and also proactive symptom management and neurorehabilitation, delivered by multidisciplinary teams. This is one reason why we are now funding additional MS nurses in areas of the UK where services are the most overstretched. Only with the right specialist and community based support will we reduce the need for emergency hospital care for people with MS.”  


                                                                        Ends

This content was provided by Wilmington Healthcare

Company Details

 Latest Content from  Wilmington Healthcare 

Considering a portfolio review?

Are you considering a portfolio review for your established pharmaceutical brands? Wondering if you should put some activity behind them? At CHASE our experienced team will ensure you maximise your...

UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF PLACE WITHIN THE NEW NHS: FIVE THINGS INDUSTRY NEEDS TO KNOW

Operating a level below system, “place” is an increasingly important unit of NHS organisation, yet it remains an evolving concept that is not always well-understood among industry practitioners. In this...

MISSION CRITICAL: HOW PHARMA CAN HELP THE NHS IMPROVE CARE FOR OLDER PEOPLE

With around two-thirds of all hospital beds occupied by over-65s, the care of older patients has long been recognised as key to the sustainability of the NHS. So how is...

ALL CHANGE FOR SPECIALISED COMMISSIONING: FOUR THINGS INDUSTRY NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT THE LATEST REFORMS

With a recent NHSEI policy document confirming that a major shake-up of arrangements for Specialised Commissioning is imminent, Oli Hudson, Content Director at Wilmington Healthcare (wilmingtonhealthcare.com), describes the key changes...

HOW DID COVID-19 AFFECT PRESCRIBING BEHAVIOURS? FIVE KEY FINDINGS FROM A NEW STATE OF THE NATION REVIEW

Published earlier this month, Wilmington Healthcare’s new State of the Nation report draws on a raft of data from across primary and secondary care to show what actually happened to...

ALL SYSTEMS GO: UNDERSTANDING WHO’S WHO IN THE NEW NHS LANDSCAPE

With the Health and Care Act safely passed, Oli Hudson introduces six key stakeholders that will loom large in the new landscape.

Spending on anti-depressants soars as the pandemic’s effect on NHS prescribing patterns is revealed

Wilmington Healthcare’s State of the Nation prescribing report shows that spending on sertraline, commonly used to treat depression and anxiety, increased by 305.5% between 2019/20 and 2020/21 while overall spend...

EQUAL FOOTING: HOW PHARMA CAN HELP THE NHS TO ACT ON HEALTH INEQUALITIES

As the NHS puts a renewed focus on reducing health inequalities, Oli Hudson looks at what opportunities this might it bring for Industry and how it can best play its...

UNDERSTANDING THE NEW VALUE PROPOSITION FOR THE NHS

Industry needs a new way of describing its commercial propositions in response to the changing NHS landscape, argues Wilmington Healthcare’s Oli Hudson. This ‘new value proposition’ needs to be reflected...