Chris Woodhead calls on politicians to improve motor neurone disease care

Political leaders must develop a national strategy to ensure that people with motor neurone disease have a better quality of life and a more dignified death, a leading charity says today. The Motor Neurone Disease Association has launched a website ( www.mnd2010.org ) where people can sign an e-petition calling on politicians to act. The initiative is being led by the former chief inspector of schools Chris Woodhead, who has MND. "The disease progresses rapidly and requires complex and demanding care, yet we continue to receive fragmented and often poor quality services," he said. "[We're] calling on political leaders of all parties to give a commitment to producing a national care strategy for MND in their forthcoming election manifestos." Sam Jones