Our new approach will help us reach more people affected by MS, wherever they live in the UK, and support them to access the short breaks and respite care they want.

Why are you taking a 'new approach'?

The results of the respite care review showed that we need a more equitable approach to respite care that reflects personal choice and individual circumstances.

• In 2008-9 we could only help 1,385 people with MS at our four respite centres, despite the fact that we estimate around 30,000 people need respite.
  
  
• There is currently a 'postcode lottery' for respite care, often depending on whether you live close to a centre. For example, during 2008-9, no one from Northern Ireland and just four people from Wales used the MS Society's centres.
  
  
• Currently, thousands of people with MS and carers, including those with very complex needs, receive no support from the MS Society to get the respite they need.
  
  
• The MS Society spends on average £540 per person for every week they stay at one of our centres. Most people visit more than once a year, some up to twelve times. By comparison, the Society gives only £300 per person (up to £800 per family) for a holiday grant once every three years.

Our new approach will support many thousands more people with MS, wherever they live and whatever their needs.  

What this means for the Society's respite centres

The MS Society will no longer directly provide residential respite care. At the moment the Society owns three respite care centres in England. We are seeking to transfer all three centres to alternative providers. In July we transferred our respite care centre in Scotland to a new independent charity, read more.

Our preferred option is to transfer all the care centres to alternative providers who can continue to provide services to people with MS. Work to transfer the three England care centres is now well underway, and we hope to complete this in the next 2-3 months.

• In April 2011 we signed an initial agreement with a prospective new provider for Woodlands Respite Care Centre in York. The new provider is Christchurch Court, a company which specialises in residential and supported living for people with neurological conditions. The new provider has committed to providing high quality care for people with MS and other neurological conditions and to providing opportunities for staff development and retention.

• We have signed an initial agreement with a prospective new provider to transfer Helen Ley and Brambles respite care centres into new ownership. MS Respite & Care Services Limited is an associated company to St Cloud Care plc, which has 18 years experience in providing nursing care. The new provider has committed to continuing to provide a service for people with MS at both centres, and to continuing services at Helen Ley Court, which provides long-term residential care. Read more.  

Information for guests

We will work individually with our guests, their families and carers to offer information and support to find alternatives that meet their needs.

Bookings
Brambles, Woodlands, Helen Ley and Leuchie House care centres are now taking bookings and will be pleased to hear from you if you wish to book your next break. Please note that any booking from December onwards is provisional until we are able to confirm that contracts on the transfer of the centres have been exchanged.

Please contact the centres in the usual way to discuss your booking.  

Contact us

If you have any questions about the review or your respite care services, please check our frequently asked questions page or get in touch using the details below.

Phone our Helpline on 0808 800 8000

Email respitecare@mssociety.org.uk

Write to us at:
Care Services
MS Society
372 Edgware Road
NW2 6ND
London