Online courses to support the wellbeing of people living with multiple sclerosis and unpaid carers will be developed as part of plans to boost help for people with neurological conditions.

Nearly £500,0000 is being allocated to 17 projects in the latest round of funding as part of a five-year action plan, with a focus on responding to the challenges of the covid pandemic.

Around one million people in Scotland live with a neurological condition, such as migraines, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (MS) and motor neurone disease.

Recipients include Pain Association Scotland, which will develop online courses to support the wellbeing of unpaid carers.

The MS Society will also deliver online and telephone sessions to support the physical and emotional wellbeing of people living with MS in response to the pandemic.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has been given funding to establish and roll out an epilepsy register which will also cover Tayside and Lanarkshire.

A project involving Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh University and Edinburgh Headway Group will develop a digital platform to deliver information to people living with neurological conditions and their carers.

Money has been allocated to charity PSPA to enable it to map provision of support for people affected by progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD).

Andrew Symons, CEO of PSPA, said: “This will contribute to the aim of earlier diagnosis of these rare conditions and reduce the time spent by people in the wrong part of the system with the result they can benefit from the provisions of the framework as soon as their disease is recognised.”

The five-year action neurological action plan was launched by the Scottish Government last year, with a pledge to provide personalised care and support.

Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “We recognise the scale, variety and context of neurological conditions and how distressing they can be for the person with the condition and their family and the framework for action aims to support those responsible for providing care and support to people affected.

“This latest round of funding will ensure this vital work not only continues but is strengthened despite the challenges faced during the pandemic.”

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