Review and forecast: Academy highlights in brief

2024 has arrived with a flurry of activity at Neurology Academy HQ with two national meetings, two courses and three webinars taking place before we even get to the end of March!

We thought we'd let you know what to expect from us this year with all the MasterClasses you've come to expect for MS, Parkinson's and dementia, several newer editions finding their second or third iteration, and a few brand new ones making their debut.

2023 - in brief

Highlighting memorable moments from 2023: A message from Sarah Gillett, our MD

Reflecting on the past year, Sarah Gillett, our managing director, shares her favourite moments:

'One of the highlights for me in 2023 was witnessing the recognition and reward bestowed upon past delegates and speakers for their exceptional contributions. It was particularly gratifying to realise that many of them had embarked on their journey as fledgling intermodule projects during one of our MasterClasses, some several years ago!

'To see how these initial projects have grown and developed over several years, transforming their local services, really underpins why we feel the workplace project is so important. With 3,295 people educated in 2023 alone, and 72 workplace projects carried out just last year, we have real confidence that the same transformation is possible for other services around the country in the same way, reaching thousands of people living with a neurological condition.

'Nick Bryden and his team, after winning their Parkinson's Advanced project for their innovative use of electronic records to improve access to time critical medicines, were acknowledged in Scottish parliament, shortlisted for the Nursing Times awards and presented with the prestigious Excellence award and the Digital innovations award at the Parkinson's Excellence Network Awards.

'Azza Ismail, Daisy Cam and team were nominated by colleagues for a local Thank you award, received a national QuDoS in MS award and were nominated at the Nursing Times awards for their MS and maternal medicine service.

'Adding to the excitement, our own digital innovation efforts were acknowledged with a QuDoS in MS award. The surprise nomination made this recognition even more special, underscoring the collective dedication to advancing excellence in our field. Here's to celebrating these extraordinary achievements and looking forward to more milestones in the coming year!

Continuing our commitment to diverse learning opportunities

In the past year, we introduced new education in spasticity, motor neurone disease, neuro-palliative care, uro-neurology, myasthenia gravis (MG) and health and wellness. We strive to keep expanding our educational portfolio to meet your evolving needs and make sure everyone can access a well-rounded learning journey.

We remain dedicated to providing a uniquely practical learning experience for you across a comprehensive array of topics and conditions. In response to your requests, we are delighted to announce the addition of new educational offerings this year.

'This is probably the most beneficial education meeting I have attended in terms of content, excellent expertise of speakers and relevance to my clinical practice.'

2023 Myasthenia gravis MasterClass delegate

2024 has already seen the launch of education in cerebral palsy and on-demand myasthenia gravis content for pharmacists, and we delivered our first ever National neurology transformation meeting (NNMT) last week, with over 120 people learning more about the challenges and opportunities for neurology services under the new NHS landscape. We're offering access to virtual content from this packed day - register now to catch up and to keep up-to-date with future offerings.

'Thank you to everyone involved in coordinating such a wonderful meeting yesterday. Each and every speaker was fantastic and all content was highly relevant to my work.'

A clinical network manager attending the NNMT

Our first ever Spasticity MasterClass is planned after the success of the on-demand Basics course and we're also excited to announce a brand new online course for Lewy body disease, which is in the early stages of development.

Meanwhile, neuro-palliative care and uro-neurology are set to go ahead again after great feedback in 2023, and you can expect all the usual MasterClasses from MS, Parkinson's, and dementia.

'The MasterClasses are so unique, they were so key to my personal development and increase in confidence in my role and within the team and also being able to develop a support network nationally.'

2023 MS MasterClass delegate

Seize the opportunity and dive in:

While there's much to anticipate throughout the year, for those eager to get started immediately, we recommend the following on demand courses:

• Cerebral palsy on demand, Explore a free introductory course that delves into the management of cerebral palsy in adults. If you're involved in any aspect of neurology, understanding this condition is crucial. Don't miss out on this valuable resource to enhance your knowledge.

• Mild cognitive impairment, Join our free course covering everything related to brain health maximisation, dementia prevention, and the detection and management of mild cognitive impairment. This course has received acclaim, but time is running out – there are only a few months left before it exits the online platform. Don't pass up the chance to enrich your understanding of these important topics. Get started now!

• Myasthenia gravis on demand. This one's for our pharmacists; sitting within Neuropharmacy Academy, this is a free overview of the treatment and management of myasthenia gravis (MG) just in time to prepare for a raft of new treatment options becoming available for treat MG during 2024.

We hope this has given you a bit of an insight into learning opportunities for the year ahead, and we look forward to supporting you in your own priorities and continued professional development.

To find out more about all of our courses, head to our 'Courses and events' pages online, or catch up on our back catalogue of over 100 free webinars across a wide range of topics on demand here.