The Neurology Team at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals have won an international award for the Care of Motor Neurone Disease patients.

A specialist doctor at Sheffield Teaching Hospital and her team received one of the most prestigious awards in the Neurology field.

They were awarded the winners of the 2021 QI innovation Award from the American Academy of Neurology for their pioneering ideas for service improvement for patients with Motor Neurone disease (MND).

Their ‘Pick, Tick and Click’ Method has been widely recognised as it aims to simplify the intricate process of managing MND patient’s needs and improve the quality of care and support individuals receive.

Dr Mahjabin Islam, Specialist Registrar at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals

Dr Mahjabin Islam, the registrar who lead their project said: “I feel incredibly honoured to receive the 2021 QI Innovation Award in recognition of our work to provide accessible, compassionate care for patients living with Motor Neurone Disease.

“In the Sheffield Motor Neurone Disease Centre, we tailor our service based on national guidelines, evidence and patient feedback and aim to continually improve the quality of care for our patients.”

Their efforts to improve the quality of care for MND patients was evident last year when they fast-tracked the launch of a new innovative app, developed by the University of Sheffield, to enable health care professionals to remotely monitor and support patients who have MND during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Chris McDermott, Consultant Neurologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, at the time of the app’s launch said: “This app allows us to provide the right level of specialist care remotely, especially for the most vulnerable patients for who travelling the sometimes-lengthy distances for their appointments at specialist centres could negatively affect their health.

While the pandemic has accelerated this change, it is providing clear and complementary benefits to patients who live far from a specialist centre, and who want the new approach to be provide for the long term, beyond the pandemic.”

The American Academy of Neurology created the Patient Service Awards in order to recognise individuals dedicated to improving the lives of patients through quality improvement, service or service.

Dr Islam and her team will have the opportunity to present their work in America after as and when Covid Restrictions ease.