The Migraine Trust launches new ‘MP toolkit’ in UK Parliament
Our new toolkit has information for MPs on supporting staff and constituents with migraine, as well as being an advocate in Parliament
On December 4th The Migraine Trust held a breakfast event in the UK Parliament to launch our new Toolkit for MPs’ and bring patient representatives together with MPs to highlight their experiences of how migraine hurts.
The toolkit provides MPs with information on what they need to know about migraine; how to support the 1 in 7 of their constituents who will be living with migraine and may be struggling to secure adequate care; how to promote migraine-friendly work; and ways they can raise awareness and show support for all those living with migraine.
The event was hosted by Caroline Nokes MP, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons and a former minister who has spoken about her own struggles with the condition, and by Dr Simon Opher MP, a GP who was first elected to Parliament in the July 2024 general election this year.
Commenting on the workplace impact of migraine in particular, Caroline Nokes said “I know the impact migraines have on my ability to work, and know how crucial it is that employers make adjustments to allow us all to keep working”.
“As a GP I’ve seen many cases of migraine and it has also affected loved ones, so I know how debilitating it can be for people in their daily lives. People with migraine need support, in the health system and also in their workplaces”, Dr Opher said.
Several patient representatives from The Migraine Trust’s Inclusion Panel attended the event to speak to MPs about the reality of living with the condition, and how politicians can with to improve care and support.
We were joined by MPs from a variety of parties, including many who were first elected in July’s general election and will not have heard from supporters of The Migraine Trust before. Many mentioned they had heard of the event from several constituents, so thank to you to everyone who contacted their MP and helped make the event a success. We were also contacted by many others who were unable to attend the event but want to meet us at a further date or find out more.
We also had conversations with several MPs and members of their staffs who were themselves affected by migraine, showing the breadth of the impact it has.
Work like this is crucial to raise awareness about the need for better migraine care and patient voices are crucial to bring this message to life, so we thank all those who took part.
If you would like to know more about how you can support our work, contact us at campaigns@migrainetrust.org.
