The Coventry Integrated Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) received an ‘Extra Mile Award’ on Friday 17th March from The Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association for its outstanding contribution to coordinated support for people living with MND in Coventry. The award was presented by MP Jim Cunningham at Coventry Myton Hospice.
Members of the integrated team include neurology, respiratory service and palliative care from University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, the community palliative team, speech and language therapists and dieticians from Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT), and palliative care services at Myton Hospice. The group meets monthly and is hosted at Coventry Myton Hospice.
Founded in 2009 the group comprises of a team of health professionals with a special interest in MND, with the aim of:
- Regularly monitoring and reviewing people living with MND
- Ensuring coordination and cooperation between service providers
- Keeping up to date with trends, research information and drug trials
- Improving flexibility and speed of response to referrals
- Providing an opportunity for educational events
- Identifying gaps in resources and feeding back to relevant groups or individuals to influence service provision
Alongside the Multidisciplinary Team meeting there is a monthly clinic for patients to attend where they can meet with the MDT in one appointment, supplemented by continued support from specialists within the community teams as required by the person living with MND.
The core team has a strong commitment to the service with regular attendance which provides continuity of support for people living with MND in Coventry.
Alison Noakes, Regional Care Development Adviser (West Midlands South) at the MND Association said: “I nominated the team for this award because they consistently demonstrate coordinated support for people living with MND and I think we should recognise this. Being given a diagnosis of MND is devastating, but this team work hard to ensure that the person with MND can continue to live as well as they can with the disease.”
Steve Bell, Director of Care at the MND Association said: “We’re delighted to present this Extra Mile award to Coventry Integrated MND Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) for their commitment and continued support to those living with MND and their families. The regular monthly clinic makes it so much easier for people to discuss ongoing care needs. It also allows the health and care professionals to identify gaps in resource, improve speed of referrals, as well as support each other.”
Sue Bergin, Community Macmillan Occupational Therapist in Specialist Palliative Care Services at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, said:
I am so proud to be part of the MND Multi-Disciplinary Team in Coventry and feel very honoured to have our work recognised by the MND Association who work closely with us to support people with MND in Coventry. This life-changing illness seems to affect the most wonderful individuals and I feel privileged to provide care and support to both patients and their families throughout their journey. I am sure this award will encourage us all to continue working hard to provide the quality care they deserve.
Dr Mike Iredale, Deputy Chief Medical Officer at UHCW NHS Trust, said:
“I’m very proud of all the team for their work to provide excellent care and support to people living with MND.
“It’s fantastic that the team has now received this prestigious recognition from the MND Association and shows what can be achieved when services involving different providers work together in a truly co-ordinated way.”
I am very appreciative of the support I received from this team :in particular the combined work of the palliative care team who are remarkable and ensured that I was able to care for my husband when he suffered this appalling illness