A woman with multiple sclerosis is organising her own care, stating the NHS has failed to give her adequate physiotherapy.

Barbara Morrissey, 59, of Monkton Farleigh, was diagnosed 19 years ago with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).

She started needing physiotherapy two years ago, after her mobility deteriorated.

Trowbridge Hospital did not have the neuro physios and was short-staffed, it said.

Mrs Morrissey, who is now confined to a wheelchair, said: “I got botox injections to help my legs and was supposed to get physiotherapy, but I didn’t, so the injections didn’t work.”

“I needed an hour of physiotherapy a week, but they were offering ten minutes. So I went online and found the Wessex MS Therapy Centre.”

For the last 18 months, she has been going to its centre in Warminster.

She said: “Before, my legs were getting tight because of my tendons, but now I am not in as much discomfort. They have changed my life. All over Wiltshire, you cannot get physiotherapy for MS patients.I want that to change.”

Her plea came as the MS Society published a national poll of 10,000 adults with MS, showing people in Wiltshire had among the poorest access to physiotherapy.

Of 101 people asked, 42 per cent who said they needed a physiotherapy specialist had been unable to see one.

The MS Society has now launched its Stop the MS Lottery campaign, calling for all people with MS to have equal access to treatments.

It has pledged to work with the Wiltshire Clinical Comm-issioning Group (CGC) to identify what can be done within the county.

The CGC said it was reviewing community services to ensure they provided the appropriate care and was always keen to work with voluntary sector providers to review provision.