Counselling requirements for MS- patients in the state of Brandenburg

1. Landesverband Brandenburg e.V. Counselling requirements for MS- patients in the state of Brandenburg Model project to §65b of Social Security Code (SSC)V September 2001 – 30. August 2003

2. The outline of the presentation • general information on the project • an analysis of the counselling in the information centres. • an analysis of the futher counselling requirements. • futher results • results and conclusions

3. The objective of the project ….was to make inquires, within the state of Brandenburg, about the counselling requirements for MS patients and other target group: • disseminated sclerosis patients, among others chronically ill persons and disabled people • persons of reference • other interested parties

4. The essence of the inquiry on the requirements of the affected persons • a taking of stock and examination regarding existing offers for counselling in the state of Brandenburg • to enquire about the counselling requirements for persons with MS who had not up until now been counselled by the DMSG in Brandenburg

5. The results • consultations: 726 • extend of consultations: 232 hours • average per consultation: 19 minutes • average per inquiry: 21 minutes In addition the number of counselling sessions or the demand for them had also risen.

6. How many MS patients were reached? • approx. 3.900 ms-sicked in Brandenburg county 577 affected were advised = 15 % of all MS-sicked persons • approx. 100 incidences in Brandenburg county 81 were advised = 78 % of all new sicked persons

7. Personal details of those seeking advice • eighty five percent are long term sufferers • they come from all over Brandenburg • mostly from the districts (69%) • 82 % are themselves sufferers • the majority are being treated by specialists • 82% are women • every second person is between the ages of 40 and 60 years old • one third are not members of the DMSG

8. Who is being counselled?

9. Where did the MS patients find out about the counselling services on offer?

10. The distribution of the content in the counselling sessions

11. The counselling requirements are dependent on the type of treatment the patient is receiving

12. Exaxmination of the patients in the clinics • Why ? to gather information on the demand for counselling for chronically ill or disabled persons • Who ? people affected who have not yet been counselled by the DMSG • How ? anonymous questionnaire • Where? clinics treating acute disorders and rehabilitation clinics • How long for? six months

13. “Do you require futher counselling?“

14. “From whom would you prefer to receive counselling?”

15. Further conclusions drawn from the inquiry • counselling standards • counselling concepts • approaches to counselling • internet data-base contact persons and • partners computer aided documentation • for counselling

16. Results and conclusions • the DMSG counsels patients from all over the state of Brandenburg • the demand for counselling is growing • counselling through the DMSG must also be available for non members • MS-patients actively seek counselling through the DSMG • doctors play an important role in connecting patients with the DMSG • the demand fro counselling increases if the patients are only treated by general practitioners • the counsellors require an extensive knowledge to fulfil their tasks. • “Self-Help” groups play an important role in counselling. • counselling sessions close to home and face-to-face are most sought after. • counselling is however a responsibility for society as a whole, and in Germany • funding it has up until now never been assured