Neuromuscular Academy
Raising awareness, improving outcomes
Raising awareness of, and providing education around recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of neuromuscular conditions, this Academy seeks to improve the lives of infants, children and adults living with a neuromuscular condition.
Raising awareness, improving education, changing lives
By raising awareness of, and providing education around recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of neuromuscular conditions, professionals can develop the knowledge and confidence they need, and the lives of those affected by a neuromuscular condition can be transformed for the better.
Compelled by the needs they saw in their daily practice, healthcare professionals have come together from across different backgrounds, localities, experiences and service models to develop this Academy. Recognising a need for better awareness, improved education and accessible resources, they have led the development of these essential elements.
All of our Academies place a strong emphasis on the practical application of learning, and with Neuromuscular Academy, the practical came first. Developing two national pathways for spinal muscular atrophy via a professional consensus, both the paediatric and adult pathways are leading the way for improved recognition, diagnosis and treatment access. Our first MasterClass was developed as a result of this work.
Our first MasterClass was established in 2002 for Parkinson's, when the in-depth yet hands-on style of Academy MasterClasses was radically different to traditional medical education. More than two decades later, applied to a whole range of neurological conditions, it still is.
Forthcoming Neuromuscular Academy MasterClasses and events...
On Demand Webinars
We developed a short, practical webinar to help healthcare professionals to understand what SMA is, how it presents, how to treat it, and why early detection, diagnosis and treatment are essential to children's outcomes.
Neuromuscular Academy is the first bespoke course for healthcare professionals to receive expert training in neuromuscular conditions like spinal muscular atrophy.
Neuromuscular disorders refer broadly to a range of conditions which impair muscle function whether directly (as pathologies of the voluntary muscle) or indirectly (as pathologies of the peripheral nervous system or neuromuscular junctions), and includes multiple sclerosis (MS) and motor neurone disease (MND).
Other neuromuscular conditions which are often lesser known in terms of presentation and management, include Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, muscular dystrophy, myasthenia gravis and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). It is conditions like these which Neuromuscular Academy will focus on supporting through targeted education and improved services.
Initially resulting from a group of professionals and their concerns about the education and awareness of paediatric spinal muscular atrophy, this Academy is beginning to take steps to ensure healthcare professionals are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to detect, diagnose, treat and support people with neuromuscular conditions at every step of their journey.
Whilst multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuromuscular condition, its high prevalence mean there is a much higher likelihood of healthcare professionals interacting with or supporting someone with MS than with many of the other neuromuscular conditions. This affects awareness, service demand and delivery, and educational priorities, all of which are addressed via MS Academy.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy: Paediatric Care Pathway
Early recognition, diagnosis and access to treatment are essential to ensure the best possible quality of life and health outcomes for an infant with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In paediatric SMA, every day counts - our new pathway can help understand why, and how to make it count for good.
Neuromuscular Academy
News and articles
Top tips for treatment monitoring in myasthenia gravis
During a roundtable meeting for myasthenia gravis (MG) specialist nurses in October 2023, two presentations were given on MG and treatment mechanisms for the condition. With kind consent from the speakers, we are able to share the core content of those presentations here, as free access education.
Academy and faculty leaders
We are led and supported by experts with a variety of backgrounds across a range of disciplines. By bringing different passions to the Academy, they ensure we maintain a high quality of content and information across a diverse field of knowledge.
All MasterClass attendees carry out a workplace project as a key part of the course.
All two-module MasterClasses include an intermodule project. This is a workplace project that attendees complete as a key part of the course.
Attendees have free reign over this project. It might be service delivery, patient management or drug treatments, and it could take the form of a service description, an audit, or another form of research. It should meet a local need.
When complete, the project closes with a presentation to the other course members, faculty, and often their managers, commissioners or other people of influence in their area. All projects are shared in our projects section.
Every day counts
Early recognition, diagnosis and access to treatment are essential to ensure the best possible quality of life and health outcomes for an infant with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In paediatric SMA, every day counts - our new pathway can help understand why, and how to make it count for good.
