Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has commissioned research into multiple sclerosis services in the last year.

The Department of Health and Social Care delivers research via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR delivers research into multiple sclerosis across a range of areas, including services associated with the condition.

For example, the NIHR is currently supporting, through investments in infrastructure and workforce, research to examine the feasibility of identifying patients with psychological distress in multiple sclerosis services and provide a form of cognitive behavioural therapy, COMPASS, as a treatment intervention.

The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care including multiple sclerosis. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on multiple sclerosis to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.