INVERCLYDE'S MSP helped highlight the need for better social care for people with motor neurone disease (MND) at a parliamentary reception this week.

Stuart McMillan attended the event, held in the garden lobby at Holyrood on Tuesday, which was hosted by MSP Bob Doris and organised by national charity MND Scotland.

Attendees heard from the minister for social care, mental wellbeing and sport, Maree Todd, as well as Brian Murphy, who was diagnosed with MND in 2019.

MND Scotland’s CEO, Rachel Maitland, also spoke of the importance of people with the illness getting the care that they need.

Mr McMillan said: “The event highlighted that people with MND do not have time to wait.

"MND Scotland brought everyone together to raise awareness of the need for fast tracking social care so that people with MND can spend the time they have left making memories with their family.

“I greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet with people who have been diagnosed with MND and hear more about their experience first-hand.

"I am committed to supporting MND Scotland and their work to make time count for people with MND.”

Ms Todd addressed the reception and shared an insight into the National Care Service Bill, which was introduced in 2022 but will not be operational until 2029.

Mr Murphy (pictured), who was diagnosed with MND at the age of 47, shared his personal experience of living with the condition and how he wants support to be improved.

Ms Maitland said: “I welcome Stuart’s support and want to thank everyone that attended the reception to hear more about the devastating impact of this brutal disease.

“People affected by MND need a social care system which is fast enough, and flexible enough, to cope with changing needs as the disease progresses.

"We will not see the National Care Service operational until 2029. In the next five years, hundreds of people in Scotland will have been newly diagnosed with MND and died from the illness.

"We cannot wait for a National Care Service. Change is needed now.”

MND is a rapidly progressing terminal illness, which stops signals from the brain reaching the muscles. This may cause someone to lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, drink or breathe unaided.