A CALDICOT woman who lives with Motor Neurone Disease has welcomed Members of the Senedd voting to support plans to make home adaptions easier for people suffering with the disease.

On Wednesday, December 1, Senedd Members voted in favour (41 for, 12 against, no abstentions) of supporting plans to introduce a fast-track and non-means tested process for home adaptations for those living with MND in Wales.

Monmouth MS Peter Fox, a Motor Neurone Disease champion, introduced the debate, and told the Senedd he had heard from people living with MND about the “unnecessary challenges they face to have their homes adapted to meet their needs”.

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These delays, he said, were “an unintended by-product of the evolution of legislation, the variety of funding regimes that have existed previously, as well as the sheer numbers of organisations involved in delivering adaptations.”

He added that means-testing for these adaptions also slowed down the process, “whilst different councils have varying definitions and processes, leading to a postcode lottery of support across Wales.”

Following the vote, Pat Morton, who has MND and lives in Caldicot, said: “This is absolutely terrific news for those, like me, who have MND.

“We know that the disease rapidly affects the brain and spinal cord, meaning that the current process of getting your house adapted just takes too long.

“I cannot stress enough just how welcomed today’s decision is.”

Mr Fox said: “It’s shameful that people living with MND across Wales were becoming trapped in inaccessible homes because the process was too slow and prevented them from gaining the necessary support in time. 

“Thankfully, we’ve come a step closer to bringing this complex and unfair system to an end.

“There is still other processes for us to take, but Wales can be proud that we’re close to ensuring those living with MND have the best quality of life possible.”

Sian Guest, policy and public affairs manager for Wales for the Motor Neurone Disease Association Charity, said: “We warmly welcome today’s decision where we’re close to achieving our goal of ending a system that is complex, unjust and inequitable, frankly, its left people with MND in unsafe and inaccessible homes.

“The rapid progression of the disease is particularly cruel, and that is why we desperately need a new fast-track and non-means tested process for home adaptations.

“From everyone at the Motor Neurone Disease Association Charity, we thank all those who voted in support of this debate.”