Multiple Sclerosis: primary care data

Table 1 shows the prevalence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the Scottish population based on the proportion of practice populations consulting for MS during the financial years 1999/00 to 2001/02. Patients are only counted if the main reason for the consultation was multiple sclerosis. Many people with MS will not consult their GP because of their condition during a particular year, particularly if they are in remission. As a result, while these figures are a reasonable estimate of the number of people consulting their GP because of MS, they are likely to be an underestimate of the total numbers of people with MS. The figure of around 6,500 people consulting for MS in Scotland is should be compared with survey based estimates of around 10,000 people with MS in Scotland. The prevalence is higher for women, as expected, from surveys elsewhere.

Table 1. Patients seen per 1,000 population and estimated number of patients in Scotland (1); years ending 31 March 2000 to 2002; by gender and age group.

 

		GP 1999/00 (2)		GP 2000/01 (2)		GP 2001/02 (2)
Gender	Age group	Patients seen per 1,000 population	Estimated patients for Scotland (3)	Patients seen per 1,000 population	Estimated patients for Scotland (3)	Patients seen per 1,000 population	Estimated patients for Scotland (3)
Male	0-14	-	-	0.0	-	-	-
	15-44	0.7	850	0.6	700	0.6	750
	46-64	1.2	800	1.2	750	1.3	800
	65+	0.5	150	0.5	150	0.9	300
	All ages	0.7	1,800	0.6	1,600	0.7	1,900
Female	0-14	-	-	0.0	-	-	-
	15-44	1.7	2,000	1.7	2,050	1.5	1,800
	46-64	3.3	2,150	2.9	1,900	3.1	2,050
	65+	0.9	450	1.3	650	1.2	600
	All ages	1.6	4,600	1.6	4,600	1.6	4,500
Total		1.2	6,400	1.1	6,250	1.2	6,400

Source: ISD Practice Team Information, last updated October 2005.

Notes:

(1) Prior to April 2003 data were collected only from GPs (Continuous Morbidity Recording (CMR)). From 1 April 2003 data collection was extended to encompass patient contacts with practice nurses, district nurses and health visitors (Practice Team Information (PTI)).

(2) Based on 52, 60 and 67 practices which collected and submitted GP-only data, years ending March 2000 to 2002 respectively.

(3) Figures have been rounded to the nearest 50. Totals do not equal the sum of the estimated numbers for each age group due to rounding.

Multiple Sclerosis Practice Team Information

Figures are provisional because the introduction of the new GMS contract may have led to changes in the data recording practice of clinicians, in turn requiring changes in PTI data processing by ISD. This issue is currently under detailed investigation (see PTI changes) and revised figures will be available on the ISD website under Practice Team Information in March 2007, and on the ScotPHO website in April 2007.