Last year, The Samson Centre for Multiple Sclerosis won the Innovation in practice: improving primary care or community services for people with MS category for its ‘Making Samson Stronger’ campaign.

The QuDoS team caught up with one of the people behind the initiative, Denice Logan Rose, to see where the initiative came from, the effect it’s had on the Centre’s services, and what it meant to be recognised by the QuDoS in MS programme.

How was the idea of ‘Making Samson Stronger’ created?

‘Making Samson Stronger’ was devised through a demand for some existing therapies that we offer that we are unable to meet. At the same time, we simply didn’t have enough to offer younger and newly diagnosed patients in terms of advice, support and quiet space. We also knew that we wanted to offer more cognitive-based therapies for all MS patients at the Centre to help keep brain function as good as possible.

What were some of the biggest obstacles you had to overcome to make your campaign a success?

From the outset, it was an enormous project for a small charity like ours. It required plenty of planning and making sure all the processes were in place before we started, particularly in regard to things like measurable outcomes, delivery plans and financial forecasting. Planning ahead helped us convince potential funders that we were capable of handling the project which we are successfully doing.

What impact has the ‘Making Samson Stronger’ campaign had on your Centre and the care you provide?

It’s made such a difference to the lives of our patients. Since starting the campaign, we can now offer an increased number of therapies and greater advice and support. Our connections with sports organisations and our unique riverside setting also means we can now offer water sports activities to our patients.

What difference has being recognised by the QuDoS in MS programme made to your centre?

The QuDoS in MS programme has helped the Samson Centre enormously. Being nationally recognised and judged by a panel of eminent healthcare professionals confirms that we are doing something right in our community.

If you or another MS healthcare professional are doing something outstanding in MS service delivery then I encourage you to nominate yourself or your colleagues for the QuDoS programme. It not only inspires the team involved but also other providers of care to achieve those same levels of excellence. It’s also hugely important that as MS care providers we all openly share our achievements so that the quality of even more lives of MS sufferers can be maintained and or improved.

Twitter: @HelpSamson