Interviews
Despite the devastating consequences of a delay in diagnosing Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES), Jo is determined to live her life to the full. As someone who had always lived an active lifestyle – with passions including cycling, adventure motorbiking, and being a regular at the gym – the pain and numbness Jo now has to [...]
A new digital platform for managing behavioural assessments in neurorehabilitation is aiming to improve the lives of up to 10 million patients, clinicians and carers over the next 10 years. NR Times finds out more.
Inadequate understanding of behavioural risks among brain injury patients is estimated to cost the NHS £2.5 billion a year through adverse incidents and staff turnover. Current behavioural risk assessments are typically carried out on paper, but wards and staff are extremely busy and this data collection is often slow and inconsistent. To tackle this, award-winning health tech company, Decently, has developed a new platform which aims to streamline and simplify these assessments, using data to support clinicians in making evidence-based care decisions and ultimately, reduce the impact and number of incidents of challenging to manage behaviour. Over the last 15 months, MeloTM, has been developed and rolled out among clinicians at Salford Royal Hospital, to help facilitate better decisions around behavioural management through intuitive data collection, visualisation and advanced analytics. Following a successful pilot programme, the company is now looking to expand into a number of NHS trusts and private healthcare organisations across the UK. Co-founder of Decently, James Burch, and Dr Alistair Teager, consultant clinical neuropsychologist at Salford Royal, tell us more.
Parkinson’s is the most common primary neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s, affecting nearly nine million people around the world. This figure is expected to double by 2040 in line with an ageing population. Rooted in the Nobel Prize-winning research of Professor Arvid Carlsson, who was best known for his work exploring the role of the neurotransmitter dopamine in Parkinson’s, IRLAB, is developing innovative treatments to tackle unmet needs in Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative conditions. Subscribe to read the full interview
This spring, healthcare professionals will meet outside of the therapy room to explore the benefits that nature connection can bring to their work.
Dr Claire McDonald, a neuropsychologist and one of the organisers of the event, tells NR Times why nature is an untapped resource for neurorehab.
We’ve all felt the relief of leaving our desks and taking a walk to our nearest green space. But the benefits are not just in our head. There is actually a wealth of scientific evidence to support activities such as forest for our mental and physical health, much of this originates from Japan, where forest bathing is an ancient practice and the government now recommends people spend at least two hours in nature per month. Neurons and Nature is a non-profit festival bringing together nature connection, community and clinical practice. The event takes place for the first time at the Down to Earth Project in Murton, Swansea, where experts in nature-based therapies—alongside the nature-curious—will celebrate and showcase the evidence-base on nature therapies and their role in neurorehabilitation. While there are some unique challenges for individuals with neurological conditions in terms of connecting with nature, the benefits can be significant, for them and their caregivers. Subscribe to read our full interview with Dr Claire McDonald, a clinical neuropsychologist and co-founder of the CIC Nature and Neurons.
HD Immune is developing a novel monoclonal antibody therapy for Huntington’s disease patients, aiming to interfere with disease progression and delay symptom development.
Discover: - HD Immune's aim to rid the body of mutated protein - What animal model research has demonstrated so far - HD Immune's fundraising plans to advance to clinical trials
Despite the number of people surviving after a stroke increasing in recent decades, there has been little change in rates of rehabilitation and recovery. Here we speak to global biopharmaceutical firm, Ipsen, about its efforts to address this. Thirty years ago, scientists working in a UK government defence facility discovered a neurotoxin —originating from the bacteria botulinum— which they realised could have medicinal uses. From this a drug was developed which in the years since would be used in various ways for the treatment of movement disorders. Today, botulinum toxin injections also known as Dysport®(abobotulinumtoxinA), are prescribed to help manage spasticity in stroke patients. However, despite having access to this drug for the last three decades, there has been little movement in the rates of rehabilitation among stroke survivors. Stroke remains the second leading cause of death and the third leading cause of combined death and disability across the world. This is a key area of focus for global biopharmaceutical firm, Ipsen, the manufacturer of Dysport®. Vice president of Global Medical Affairs, Dr Hamzah Baig, leads a team of scientists and physicians who conduct clinical trials in partnership with key research institutions across the world with the aim of improving patient care. In this exclusive interview with Dr Baig, he shares his insights on why research into stroke rehabilitation has been neglected, the challenges facing physicians in this sector and what the future of stroke care should look like.
Case management is an increasingly important element of getting the most effective rehabilitation outcomes for those who have sustained a catastrophic injury. It also provides important input into the litigation process, as lawyers rely more and more on the approach adopted by reliable case managers in an individual’s rehabilitation. Today we talk to an experienced [...]
A new day service built around therapy-led recreational activities has opened in an accessible barn set in an idyllic corner of the Cumbrian countryside. Armed with our cameras, NR Times visited A Chance for Life’s Owl Barn to find out more. Watch our special video report below. Owl Barn is the creation of [...]
Having been diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease (HD), and being forced to deal with the death of his son, Darran was left feeling suicidal - but has now turned his life around to support and inspire others. Here the winner of the 2023 NR Times Inspirational Contribution Award, sponsored by TRU Rehab, discusses his life, his [...]
As the inaugural winner of NR Times Charity of the Year, the Child Brain Injury Trust was recognised for the dynamic and dedicated support it has provided to children and young people with brain injury and their families for over 30 years. Here, chief executive Lisa Turan reflects on the progress of the charity - [...]
