The Annual Stephen Hawking MND Lectures were launched 2017 – and are now and established and important part of the Association’s calendar.

The aim of the Annual Stephen Hawking MND Lecture is to bring current research in motor neurone disease to members of the multidisciplinary team and demonstrate how this might feed into their practice. Lectures are led by experts in their field and these engaging and popular events attract hundreds of health and social care professionals. The lectures are held in the evening and online to make attendance as open as possible. And we have had delegates join from across Europe.

Our thanks to the Stephen Hawking Foundation for their funding support.

2024 Stephen Hawking MND Lecture:
Motor neurone disease – the importance of psychological care 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – a proven intervention that supports quality of life.

This year's lecture, held on 12 November, explored the psychological impact of MND, with a focus on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), to improve quality of life for people with MND.

The session was led by Rebecca Gould, Professor of Psychological Therapies in the Division of Psychiatry at University College London, and an Honorary Clinical Psychologist at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust.

Her main research interests are in developing and evaluating psychological interventions, particularly third-wave therapies such as ACT and mindfulness-based interventions, for people living with and affected by physical and mental health conditions. Among her recent work, she was the chief investigator of the ground-breaking COMMEND research study - a clinical trial examining the clinical and cost-effectiveness of ACT for improving quality of life in people with motor neurone disease, compared to multidisciplinary usual care.

During the lecture, attendees gained a deeper understanding of the importance of psychological support for people with MND, including the relevant recommendations outlined in NICE Guideline NG42. They were also introduced to the principles of ACT and how these can be applied to their practice in MND care.  

Watch recording

Previous lectures

You can watch videos of previous lectures below: