Call for better MND provision

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-30368625

Version 0 of 1.

Gordon Aikman was just 29 and on a stellar career path as Director of Research for the Better Together campaign when he was diagnosed with a serious illness.

Doctors told him he had motor neurone disease. There is no cure.

Gordon knows he has limited time, but he's decided to use what time he does have to campaign.

He's launched Gordon's Fight Back, a campaign which calls, amongst other things, for an end to councils charging dying people for care -- and for the NHS to fund specialist MND nurses, which are currently paid for by charity.

Emma Ailes has been to meet some of the fundraisers who help pay for the services.

Gordon Aikman explained the reason for his campaign and spoke about his own experience of living with MND in an interview with Gordon Brewer on Sunday Politics Scotland.

A Scottish government spokeswoman said: "Gordon Aikman is a courageous campaigner and at a very constructive meeting with him last week, the First Minister was pleased to commit to working with him and MND Scotland to map the provision of specialist MND nursing care and how this is supported in future.

"We will conduct this review quickly and as part of it we will look at all the available options to ensure that everyone with MND who requires care has access to the highest standards of care. This will include full consideration of the proposal in Gordon's letter.

"During 2014 the Government has funded a number of initiatives to improve the care provided to people living with MND including a commitment to co fund a Clinical Academic Research Fellowship to drive forward research into this condition."