A group of professionals at a training event

Here is a comprehensive list of the education events and opportunities that will support your continuous professional development - from webinars to conferences.

Click on a drop down to get more information about a particular event and as well as how to book or take part.

Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any queries about our education offering for health and social care professionals.

Webinars

“If it affects one of us, it affects us all”: the Whole Family approach, effective support for a household living with a diagnosis of MND – 30 April 2024

Time: 11.00am – 12.30pm

Aim: To explore the Whole Family Approach when caring for people affected by MND. 

Objectives:

  • to introduce the Whole Family concept
  • to explore the impact of the Whole family approach to people affected by MND
  • to provide real world examples of the Whole Family approach in action
  • to consider how the MDT can work together to deliver care using the Whole Family approach.

By the end of the session participants will have:

  • an understanding of the Whole Family model 
  • an understanding of the impact the of the Whole Family model on patient and carer experience 
  • an appreciation of how the MDT can collaborate to deliver a Whole Family approach.

Speaker: Samantha Holden, MND Care Centre Co-ordinator

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“You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life” – dispelling the myths of hospice care (for people living with and affected by MND) – 11 June 2024

Time: 11.00am – 12.30pm

Aim: To develop increased understanding of the role of hospice care for people living with and affected by MND.

Objectives:

  • to explore of the range of services available through hospice care
  • to explore the role of hospice services in good patient centred care
  • to develop understanding of how people living with and affected by MND can be supported to positively consider using hospice services
  • to explain how to connect people living with and affected by MND with hospice services
  • to explore how hospice care supports the MDT.

By the end of the session participants will have:

  • an awareness of the types of care which may be provided by a hospice
  • an understanding of how hospice services can be used to meet patient centred goals
  • increased confidence to talk to people living with and affected by MND about hospice care – challenging the perception that it is a place to go to die
  • an understanding of how to refer people living with and affected by MND to hospice services
  • an appreciation of how the hospice fits with the wider MDT.

Speakers: Claire Stockdale, Palliative Medicine Consultant and Lisa Sievwright, MND and Neuropalliative Specialist Therapist

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A focus on tube feeding in MND: current evidence, managing risks and exploring good practice – 26 November 2024

Time: 11.00am – 12.30pm

Aim: To develop increased understanding about the use of tube feeding for people with MND and the implications for provision of person-centred care.

Objectives:

  • to develop understanding of how people with MND can be supported to make informed, patient centred decisions about gastrostomy placement
  • to examine the role of tube feeding in the management of MND and its impact on people living with MND and their caregivers
  • to develop an understanding of the enteral feeding methods and tube care
  • to consider how the MDT can work together to improve outcomes and patient experience.

By the end of the session participants will have:

  • an awareness of how to support people with MND with decision making regarding tube feeding
  • an understanding of the role enteral feeding plays in the nutrition support of people with MND
  • an understanding of the different feeding methods available and how these can be used to meet patient centred goals
  • an appreciation of how the MDT can collaborate to ensure good patient outcomes from the use of tube feeding.

Speaker: Sean White, NIHR Clinical Doctoral research doctoral fellow, Shefield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

View speaker biography

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Information and Knowledge Exchanges

Information and Knowledge Exchange events are exclusively for members of the MND Professionals' Community of Practice, a peer led group of health and social care professionals encouraging and supporting the development of good care for people living with, or affected by, MND.

Information and Knowledge Exchange - 26 March 2024

Time: 11am-1.30pm

Through thick and thin - Managing saliva

Swallowing and secretion management are topics constantly under discussion within our community. It can be a particularly distressing symptom for people living with MND, affecting them both physically and emotionally. You told us you wanted to know more about how best to tackle this issue for the people in your care. This information and knowledge exchange will explore this important area.

1: Secretion management in MND

Shauna Sheridan, Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapist from the Royal Brompton Hospital will provide an overview of the key considerations for Secretion Management in MND.

2: What is the presenting issue - drooling or tenacious saliva? 

Jan Clarke from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery will share a Saliva Management Pathway which will help you navigate the steps which may be taken with the people in your care. 

3: Choking Pathway

Knowing how to take informed action when a patient is choking or experiencing sensations of choking is vital when such episodes occur. 
Dorinda Moffatt, Specialist Neuro-Respiratory Physiotherapist/Frailty Therapist, Prospect Hospice will use this session to share the practical and successful Choking pathway she has developed for use in her area with you.

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Information and Knowledge Exchange - 25 June 2024

Time: 11am-1.30pm

Managing High Tone

Many people living with MND experience painful spasms and cramps. You told us you wanted more information about treatment of these symptoms. From medication to positioning, often the solution lies in a combination of solutions and an MDT approach. This information and knowledge exchange will explore the different possible interventions which may help the people in your care to be more comfortable.

1: Effective medication for cramps and spasms

The NICE guideline for MND sets out the various medications recommended for use with people living with MND for there symptoms. In this session Vivien Horton, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist – Neurosciences, James Cook Hospital will explain what these drugs do, when they might be contraindicated and how prescribers settle on the most effective.  

2: How can physiotherapy help with increased muscle tone in people with MND?  

Hypertonia (increased muscle tone or stiffness) can affect some people with MND and result in difficulty with movement, positioning, functional activities and pain. In this session Kelly Smith, Advanced Physiotherapist at the Newcastle MND Care Centre, will explore and explain how physiotherapists, can help people living with MND to manage this symptom.

3: Get the position right!

As people with MND become less able to change their own position, their joints and muscles can become uncomfortable. Jenny Rolfe, Occupational Therapist, will talk through effective postural management including static seating, wheelchair seating and bed positioning and how these can be utilised to manage physical symptoms such as cramps and spasms. There will be some useful and simple solutions which you can use for the people in your care.

View speaker biographies

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Information and Knowledge Exchange - 24 September 2024

Time: 11am-1.30pm

Coping with complexity

MND is a complex condition which can present practitioners with real challenge. You told us you wanted to hear about specific patient cases and explore how others have tackled some of the more difficult issues and subjects which can arise. This information and knowledge exchange will give you an opportunity to hear others candidly share examples of demanding cases they have managed.

1: Providing best care whilst respecting family dynamics and cultural considerations

Family dynamics and the person and their family’s cultural beliefs can impact on the interaction you have during visits or interventions. In cases where an interpreter is required this adds an additional complexity to communication. Anthony Hanratty, MND Advanced Nurse Specialist at Middlesbrough MND Care Centre, will use a case from his area to explore the importance of understanding the motivations, expectations and such specific needs of the person living with MND and their family and carers in the provision of effective care.

2: I can’t get my patient home: dealing with issues when discharging people from hospital

In this session Rachael Marsden, MND Nurse Consultant and the Care Centre Coordinator at Oxford MND Care Centre, will reflect on a case in which the patient discharge from hospital was complicated by systemic health care issues and share, how in this instance her team, overcame the problem.

3: Providing care when significant cognitive change is involved

Cognitive change can present a challenge for care on a number of levels: from patient acceptance of interventions through to implications for establishing mental capacity. Phillippa Sharpe, Specialist Occupational Therapist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, will explore an example in which issues of this nature arose and the various considerations and actions that they and their team took to provide appropriate care.

View speaker biographies

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Workshops

A workshop is a brief, intensive educational program focussing on techniques and skills delivered to a relatively small group of people. Workshops are usually delivered face to face, but with careful planning could be online. The features of a workshop are that they:

  • pass on knowledge and instruction around a specific skill set
  • provide significant real time opportunities for participants to practice the skills being taught
  • wherever possible will have some form of formal accreditation for the skills being passed on.

We use our MND Association workshops support when a key skill deficit has been identified and it is appropriate for the Association to make a response. The aim, as with all of our education provision, is to supplement existing health and social care training with MND-specific content to enhance professionals’ understanding of the disease and how to provide the best possible support. In a workshop this enhancement is very practical with clear links to practice.

Respiratory failure in MND: Options, solutions and issues – 5 March 2024 (Exeter)

Date: 5 March 2024
Time: 9:30am-4:30pm (registration and coffee from 9:15am)
Cost: £50 View Events Cancellation Policy
Location: Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Centre (PEOC) Lecture theatre. Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford), Barrack Road, Exeter, EX2 5DW

Aim: To introduce non respiratory specialist members of the MDT to respiratory failure and the different types of respiratory interventions. 

Objectives:

By the end of the session you will:

  • have been introduced to respiratory failure, and its progression, in the context of MND 
  • be able to describe the respiratory assessments, including sleep studies, which may be performed on people living with MND with suspected respiratory failure
  • be able to explain respiratory assessments in order to support the people with MND in their care and prepare them for the tests
  • have been introduced to evidence which supports the use of NIV with MND patients
  • understand the different modes and settings used in non-invasive ventilation
  • be able to describe the challenges of using NIV, in particular those with bulbar impairment, and when NIV is not an appropriate treatment 
  • have considered the implications and process of withdrawal of assisted ventilation 
  • have had an opportunity to explore case studies and through knowledge application and discussion identify the presenting problem and the appropriate action to take. 

View programme

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Outline of the sessions:

Respiratory Deterioration in MND: An introduction to respiratory symptoms and the changes that are occurring for the person living with MND. The likely progression of these symptoms and the monitoring of them will be covered, as will the impact that this has on other symptoms of MND such as swallowing difficulties and communication, an important consideration for the wider MDT.

Respiratory assessment (including sleep studies): In this session you will be introduced to the commonly used assessments and tests used to diagnose respiratory issues in people living with MND as outlined in the NICE Guideline for MND including MIP, SNIP and FVC. There will be practical demonstrations of the assessments and an opportunity for you to take part in this hands-on session.

Starting NIV: In this session you will gain an understanding of when and how to start NIV in a patient with MND and how to support them to optimise treatment and outcome.

Interfaces and settings: You will be led through an explanation of the various types of interface (mask) which might be used with plwMND, and the modes and settings on equipment to ensure the best patient experience of NIV. There will also be a brief discussion about tracheostomy – when it might be used and what the implications of doing so are. During this facilitated discussion you will be able to handle different interface types and ask questions.

Ventilation dependency including stopping NIV: Inevitably when embarking on a therapy which supports breathing despite progression of the disease there may be a point at which the plwMND requests the treatment to be withdrawn. In this thoughtful session you will learn about the process of doing so both professionally and empathically through the use of case studies.

Cough augmentation: Weakened cough is inevitable in MND and leads to a number of sequelae.  In this session you will gain an understanding of why this happens and how you can help patients with weakened cough.

Panel discussion: This interactive session will present case studies to illustrate the topics covered. As a group, you will have an opportunity to consider the rationale for treatment, issues with tolerance and why some plwMND choose not to receive non-invasive ventilation. The consideration of each case will be supported through interaction with a panel of experts made up of the presenters from throughout the day, who will explore the issues further and answer any questions.

Workshop: Posture Management and effective use of orthotics for people living with MND - Various dates and locations

Posture management and orthotics can help with many symptoms experienced by people living with MND – helping to improve quality of life and maintain dignity. They can support the maintenance of activities of daily living, and assist with mobility and comfort, but are also an important part of solutions for respiratory issues and secretion management. This workshop will introduce you to the various ways in which your patients can be assisted and give you an opportunity to get hands on with equipment.

Dates and locations: 

Time: 09:30am – 3:45pm (registration and coffee from 09:00am)
Cost: £50.00 (View Events Cancellation Policy)

Aim: To introduce non specialist members of the MDT to principles of posture management, common problems experienced by people living with MND, and equipment and orthotic solutions.  

By the end of the one-day session, participants will:

  • be able to recognise and describe common presenting posture problems in MND that could benefit from intervention
  • be able to recognise and describe common presenting muscular skeletal problems in MND that could benefit from intervention
  • have been introduced to adaptations and equipment solutions which provide support, comfort and have potential to improve quality of life for identified postural issues in MND
  • have been introduced to orthoses solutions which provide support, comfort and have potential to improve quality of life for identified limb issues in MND
  • know where and how to access expertise to support with equipment/orthotic interventions
  • have had an opportunity to explore case studies and through knowledge application and discussion identify the presenting problems and the appropriate action to take. 
Outline of the sessions:

An exploration of common presenting posture and muscular skeletal problems, and their effects, in MND: In this session you will explore common symptoms of MND which have potential for improvement with adjustments to positioning and external limb support.

Assessing posture and possible equipment solutions: In this interactive session you will be introduced to the commonly used posture assessments, equipment solutions for identified issues and their effective use. There will be practical demonstrations of the assessments and an opportunity for you to get hands on with potential equipment solutions.

Orthotic solutions for neuro, muscular and skeletal symptoms in MND: In this interactive session you will be introduced to various orthoses including splints, collars, braces and supports used to help with weakness, spasm and spasticity in people living with MND. There will be practical demonstrations of the orthoses and an opportunity for you to examine and get hands on with them.

Panel discussion - Case studies: In this exploratory session you will be provided with case studies. As a group (or in groups) you will have an opportunity to consider and discuss each patient and, using what you have learned, to come to a conclusion about what you believe to be the presenting problems for each and possible action. The consideration of each case will be supported through interaction with presenters from throughout the day who will explore the issues and considerations further and answer any questions.

View programme

View facilitator biographies

Book your place - Peterborough (13 March)

Book your place - Southampton (18 June)

Book your place - Salford (19 November)

A conversation with...

The ‘Conversations with...’ series will give you an opportunity to listen to subject matter experts being interviewed on Zoom, using questions submitted by you. They focus on subjects of expressed interest from the professional community, or topical issues, and are run as conversation between a host and subject specialist.

The aim, as with all of our education provision, is to supplement existing health and social care training with MND-specific content to enhance professionals’ understanding of the disease and how to provide the best possible support. In a Conversation with this enhancement is to have specific questions to help develop or clarify practice answered.

Details of upcoming sessions will be added soon.

Community of Practice Annual Network Event

These events are exclusively for members of the MND Professionals' Community of Practice, a peer led group of health and social care professionals encouraging and supporting the development of good care for people living with, or affected by, MND. 

Save the date: Our next Annual Network Event will take place on 9 October 2024. Further details coming soon.