The announcement of a new dedicated care pathway for fibromyalgia sufferers in Northern Ireland has been warmly welcomed by Ulster Unionist MLA Jo-Anne Dobson.
Jo-Anne Dobson, the Ulster Unionist Party’s Health Spokesperson and who has been a long-term supporter of local fibromyalgia and ME charities, said:
“Movement on health issues often comes too slowly but this is the culmination of over three years work for local charities and campaigners not least the group Hope 4 ME and Fibro who I have had the honour of hosting on numerous occasions at Stormont.
“Now that a ‘pathway’ is being put in place we must also see improvements in services available to patients, including advice and guidance.
“Just last week at Health Committee I praised the continued work of the Patient and Client Council in conjunction with local charities and organisations to keep this issue at the forefront of the health agenda and very much welcome the news that fibromyalgia is to be recognised by health professionals as a long-term condition.
“This is by no means the end of the journey for those who have been standing up for the rights of the estimated 7,000 local people who suffer from this condition and I will continue to stand with campaigners as they seek continued improvements.
“Throughout this campaign patients often felt that they were not being taken seriously enough by the Health Service and that’s why it’s crucial that health professions receive timely and up to date guidance to share knowledge and information in this area.”