The Competency Sessions.

Competency Sessions

When you signed up for Inspire, the Annual Networking Event, you will have chosen your preferred Competency Session options. These will be confirmed with you on the day. The descriptions for the sessions are below.

So, what happens now? Supporting carers post diagnosis.

Carers play a crucial role in the care of people living with MND. This session challenges us to consider and discuss the impact diagnosis has on carers, and the implications of it for them. We will explore how we might best understand and support carer needs.

This session will be facilitated by Caroline Bidder.

Complex decisions in nutrition management.

Exploring how to support the people living with MND and make clinical decisions when swallowing is compromised. This session will discuss eating and drinking at acknowledged risk (EDAR) and gastrostomy.

This session will be facilitated by Artika Datta, Victoria Edwards and Tracey McDonald.

Recognising and safeguarding vulnerable patients.

An exploration of the factors such as, communication safeguarding concerns, cognitive change or FTD, and physical weakness such as flail arm, which may make a patient vulnerable. And how to provide best safe care when these are apparent.

This session will be facilitated by Jennifer Benson, Kathryn Crawford and Emma Wood.

Facing bereavement as a health care professional – self-care and team support when patients die.

An exploration of professionals’ experiences of patient death. And a consideration of ways to cope with, and recover after the bereavement of the person living with MND and their family.

This session will be facilitated by Dr Rachel Woolrich.

Conversations – how, where and when.

In this session we will explore having purposeful conversations as and when they arise, for example what to do with the ‘doorstep’ or ‘car door’ chats when patient and carers opinions or needs differ.

This session will be facilitated by Alison Bird, Katie Gibbon and Sean White.

It's great when a plan comes together - environmental controls and wheelchair adaptations.

A session exploring how to ensure that adaptations and equipment link up and work well together to improve the quality of life of plwMND.

This session will be facilitated by Dr Simon Judge, Phillippa Sharpe, Lauryn Campbell, Kelly Smith.

Not helping, not working or not wanted - withdrawal of treatments.

Supporting people living with MND to take decisions to discontinue treatment. To include how we coordinate messages – being certain what we are trying to do with the decisions – supporting plwMND to make positive purposeful decisions.

This session will be facilitated by Charlie Hardaker, Anthony Hanratty and Liz Hollway.

Assisted Dying.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill raises important and often complex questions for people living with MND, their families, and the professionals supporting them. This session provides a space to explore the implications of the Bill, consider its potential impact on practice, and reflect on the ethical, emotional and professional challenges it presents. Attendees will be encouraged to share experiences and perspectives in a supportive and thoughtful environment.

This session will be facilitated by Dr Idris Baker and Emma Chapman.