Multiple sclerosis

Service detail

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common potentially disabling disease of the central nervous system affecting young adults. The lifetime risk is about 1:500 in the UK and there is a slight excess risk in females (it affects three times more females than males).

Onset is usually in early adult life, but children and adolescents can be affected. Multiple sclerosis is a disorder of the central nervous system marked by weakness, numbness, a loss of muscle coordination, and problems with vision, speech, and bladder control.

It is thought to be an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system destroys myelin. Myelin is a substance that acts as a nerve insulator and helps in the transmission of nerve signals.

 

The Walton Centre MS department

The multiple sclerosis service provides a comprehensive multidisciplinary service aiming to assess health needs of people with MS. We provide a full range of hospital-based treatments, with referral to community services for non-specialist management. In addition to this, the Trust has developed a service for patients with neuromyelitis optica, for which is one of only two nationally designated centres in the UK. Specialist MS clinics take place at The Walton Centre, Countess of Chester Hospital and Glan Clwyd. 

 

Treatments, services and procedures performed

Diagnostic clinics
Multidisciplinary treatment clinics
Therapy clinics
Relapse clinic
Functional electrical stimulation clinic
Vestibular clinic
Occupation clinic
Fatigue clinic
Orthoptic clinic
Educational programmes (fatigue management and exercise education)
MS nurse clinics and telephone advice line
 

Service contact information

  • Contact number for specialist MS Nurses (The Walton Centre and North Wales): 0151 556 4008 (available 9am - 4pm) 
  • MS Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and Orthoptist – 0151 556 3742

 

  • Professor Carolyn A Young, Consultant Neurologist - 0151 529 5711
  • Dr Martin Wilson, Consultant Neurologist - 0151 529 6213
  • Dr Ian Pomeroy, Consultant Neurologist - 0151 529 5715
  • Dr Wojciech Pietkiewicz, Consultant Neurologist - 0151 529 5727

Referral information

Referral is by clinician to clinician via The Walton Patient Access Centre.

Patient leaflets

Multiple Sclerosis - Specialist Nurse Service

The role of the MS Nurse involves offering support, advice, information, education and help to those who are affected by MS

Neurological Long Term Conditions For Professionals

The Long term condition team consists of five Physiotherapist and four Occupational Therapist, one  Orthoptist.

 

Multiple sclerosis Consultants

Dr Sundus Alusi

Dr Sundus Alusi has been a Consultant Neurologist since 2004 and has a special interest in movement disorders. Since 2020 she has been the clinical lead for movement disorders at The Walton Centre. 

Dr Wojciech Pietkiewicz

Dr Wojciech Pietkiewicz is a Consultant Neurologist at The Walton Centre.

Dr Jay Panicker

Dr Panicker is the Clinical Director for Neurology and a Consultant Neurologist.

Dr Roger Mills

Dr Roger Mills is a Consultant Neurologist at The Walton Centre specialising in multiple sclerosis. 

Dr Martin Wilson

Dr Wilson has been a consultant at The Walton Centre since 2005. He is also CCIO (clinical IT lead) for the Trust.

Dr Saif Huda

Dr Saif Huda completed undergraduate medical training in Liverpool in 2005 and completed neurology specialist training at The Walton Centre in 2017. Dr Huda is the clinical lead for the UK NMOSD highly specialised service.

Professor Carolyn Young

Professor Carolyn Young has been a Consultant Neurologist at The Walton Centre since 1992, and an honorary professor of neurology at the University of Liverpool since 2006.

Dr Ian Pomeroy

Dr Ian Pomeroy was appointed as a consultant neurologist at The Walton Centre in 2012. He currently undertakes MS clinics in Liverpool and provides general neurology clinics and a visiting neurologist service in Warrington. 

Page last updated: 22 June 2021

64