Inspire
The MND Association Community of Practice Annual Networking Event
6 October 2026
National Conference Centre,
Birmingham
Use code EARLYBIRD to register for £35 until 31 August 2026.
Holistic Care - from the beginning to the end.
This event is a unique opportunity for you to network with fellow professionals and to actively learn with and from them about key areas of MND care. You will gain valuable
knowledge and skills to apply in your practice.
The theme this year is Holistic care – from the beginning to the end. Anthony Hanratty, our Community of Practice chair will kick off the day, followed with a keynote speech by Dr Idris Baker who will present ‘Beyond Symptoms: The power of holistic care in MND’. Dr Baker will set the scene for the day before launching into a day of information, knowledge and networking.
“It’s such an informative day and vital to improve clinical
practice to inform MND Care. Never underestimate the power of networking.” - 2025 event attendee
The Community of Practice Inspire Annual Networking Event 'Holistic Care' has been approved by the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom for 5 category 1 (external) CPD credit(s).
Our keynote speaker
Dr Idris Baker
National Clinical Lead for Palliative and End of Life Care, Swansea, Co-Director MND South Wales Care Network.
Beyond Symptoms: The power of holistic care in MND
Idris Baker is a Consultant in Palliative Medicine in Swansea, working in community palliative care, including local MND clinics. He is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at Swansea University Medical School, an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University, and a Visiting Academic at Amsterdam University.
His interests include person-centred, value-based healthcare; the development of palliative care in non-malignant disease; and the ethics of decision making in palliative care and diminished autonomy. He regularly contributes to education for undergraduate and postgraduate audiences, including health professionals, on topics in palliative care and clinical ethics. He enjoys a bit of debate and was once denounced to the press by an opponent as “genuinely wicked.”
This keynote explores why holistic care is essential in MND, where needs evolve over time and extend beyond physical symptoms. It highlights the importance of integrating physical, cognitive, emotional and social support to preserve dignity and quality of life, and encourages reflective, person-centred practice that supports individuals and their families.
Posters
We are going to run a Community of Practice members poster session, which will be a visual and conversational way to share your research or work with your peer colleagues. The content you share could be a case study, an audit, or an action you took to improve your service. It could also be something that didn’t work – we learn from mistakes and the community is a safe space. We would be delighted to hear about it and display your work. There is more information about it on this page. Please email CoP@mndassociation.org if you would like your work to be part of this.
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