4th September 2025
Meeting report by Mike & Jane Bennett
To celebrate ten years of the Medway Neurological Network, the group organised the Medway Neuro-Tech 25 at the Universities at Medway, Chatham.
Their rationale behind this event was that, ‘IT & Technology are playing an ever-increasing role in: Diagnosis, Treatment, Monitoring, Managing & Rehabilitating neurological conditions’.
Consequently, the very well-planned event enabled both visitors and exhibitors, if wanted, to visit stalls from a selection of both local and national organisations and charities in the Exhibition Hall, plus the opportunity to listen to speakers in the Auditorium. There were the well-known charities, such as MS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Ataxia represented, with the majority of the local ones focused on helping and supporting those with neurological and other disabilities. Most of these local groups encouraged and arranged face to face meetings, supporting the development of different skills and limiting the feeling of isolation. One local group run by Medway Council is FaME, Falls Management Exercise and Wellbeing Service. FaME is available in a couple of areas around the UK, with the South West focusing on the 65’s and over. Medway makes the service available to those living with a range of health difficulties, including neurological disability.
The speaker programme had three themes. The first, mobility therapies/wellbeing/creative art, followed by, treatment/monitoring/AI/wearables, with the last being communication/speech /screen readers. The speakers were available throughout the day, if further questions needed answering.
A number of the visitors had not heard of HSP and, especially young medical professionals, who were interested to gain more information and take flyers. One lady explained that a hospice resident had been diagnosed with MND nine years ago, only to be recently re-diagnosed with HSP SPG 11. She welcomed being able to take a copy of NewsLink and a flyer with her, as well as contact details of someone with knowledge and experience of this variant.
Using the opportunity to liaise with other charities, we hope to invite those local to Milford to our next meeting in November.
All in all it was a worthwhile productive event.