‘Delivering Together’ 2023 Conference – 12th May 2023

Announcing full agenda for #WorldMEDay 2023 Northern Ireland in-person conference for health and social care students and professionals, including those working or providing input into educational and occupational health services. Commissioners. FREE healthcare student places.

The Department of Health has reviewed and formally endorsed the: New NICE Guidelines for ME/CFS, to be applicable in Northern Ireland (19th January 2022). Supported by the new guidance in place in Northern Ireland, our expert speakers will explore how past and present obstacles for early diagnosis and early intervention, must finally be overcome. Delegates will also learn of the many resources and opportunities the charity has to offer for co-production and towards ‘ delivering together’.

Conference Videos – YouTube links

Introduction in the ‘Delivering Together’ 12th May 2023 Conference. The Department of Health has reviewed and formally endorsed the: New NICE Guidelines for ME/CFS to be applicable in Northern Ireland. (19th January 2022) Hope 4 ME & Fibro N.I., fully supports the new guideline and has organised this conference to update healthcare professionals. ME/CFS is a neurological disease (WHO classified), but is no longer a diagnosis of exclusion. Supported by the new guidance in place in Northern Ireland, our expert speakers will explore how past and present obstacles for early diagnosis and early intervention, must finally be overcome. Delegates will also learn of the many resources and opportunities the charity has to offer for co-production and towards ‘ delivering together’. This is the first video – Introductions

‘Addressing The Gap’ – in M.E. Awareness, Education, Services and Safeguarding. Linda Campbell. Linda Campbell, Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care and Chair and Healthcare Professional Educational Advisor for the charity. Linda provides an overview of how HOPE 4 ME & Fibro Northern Ireland is addressing the gap in M.E. – awareness and support for patients and carers; training and education for healthcare professionals and students; safeguarding for all.

‘Delivering Together’ New NICE Guidelines for ME/CFS- Lesley Edgar. Lesley Edgar. Implementation Facilitator – Northern Ireland, NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) “ Working with the health and care system to help put NICE guidance into practice”.

‘Getting it Right: Addressing Myths about the 2021 NICE Guideline for ME/CFS’- Professor Brian Hughes. Professor Brian Hughes. Professor of Psychology, and a specialist in stress psychophysiology, health psychology, and the public understanding of psychology and science. He was a member of the HSE (Ireland) National Working Group on ME and serves as a Scientific Advisor to Hope 4 ME & Fibro NI.

‘M.E. Medical Education – The Future’. Joint Presentation Ulster University & Queen’s University Belfast. Professor Louise Dubras and Professor Neil Kennedy. Professor Louise Dubras, Foundation Dean of the School of Medicine at Ulster University, since June 2018. Her expertise is curriculum design and the implementation of educational change with an emphasis on educational leadership. Professor Neil Kennedy, Director of the medicine degree programme in Queen’s University Belfast, and Consultant Paediatrician in Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children. He has a keen interest in Global Child Health, having previously served as Dean of the College of Medicine in Malawi, Africa.

‘Facing M.E. & Long Covid Similarities’. Lorraine Henry. Lorraine Henry is Senior Lead Occupational Therapist, Health and Social Care, Northern Trust M.E. Condition Management Programme with extensive experience in M.E. patient management.

Rebecca Logan is a Wife and Mum of 2 girls, and pre-Covid Rebecca was a Nurse and Fitness Instructor. She worked part time as a bank nurse in her local A&E Department and she ran her own fitness business teaching 12-14 high intensity fitness classes weekly. This is Rebecca’s story since she contracted COVID-19 in 2020.