Getting the Pathway right for polio survivors

2nd March 2026

On 2 March, the British Polio Fellowship (BPF) will be at Stormont to meet with MLAs to talk about improving support for people living with the late effects of polio.

The event, Long-term neurological conditions: Getting the Pathway right for polio survivors, will shine a light on post-polio syndrome (PPS) and the very real impact it has on people’s daily lives. Many polio survivors experience increasing fatigue, pain, muscle weakness, and mobility problems decades after first contracting the virus. Yet awareness of these long-term effects is still too low, and too many people struggle to find the right support.

A key part of the discussion will focus on the BPF’s Optimal Care Pathway, which promotes a joined-up, multidisciplinary approach to care. By bringing together GPs, neurologists, rehabilitation specialists and allied health professionals, the pathway aims to ensure polio survivors receive timely, coordinated, and person-centred treatment.

The Fellowship will also highlight the long delays many people face in accessing neurology services, largely due to shortages of neurology and rehabilitation neurology consultants. These delays can have a significant impact on health, independence, and overall quality of life.

“We are incredibly proud to bring the voices of polio survivors to Stormont” said BPF Chief Executive Officer, Kripen Dhrona. “For many people, polio feels like a condition of the past, but for thousands across the UK, its impact is ongoing and life changing.”

“Too many survivors are facing increasing fatigue, pain and muscle weakness without clear pathways to the specialist care they need. By raising awareness of post-polio syndrome and promoting our Optimal Clinical Care Pathway, we hope to work in partnership with policymakers and healthcare professionals to ensure no polio survivor feels overlooked or unsupported.”

By meeting at Stormont, the British Polio Fellowship hopes to build positive relationships with policymakers and healthcare leaders, raise understanding of post-polio syndrome, and work together to create a clearer, more effective pathway of care for polio survivors.

For more information about the British Polio Fellowship and its work supporting polio survivors, please visit www.britishpolio.org.uk