Brain Awareness Week

Brain Awareness Week 2013

'We are the Missing Million'

To mark Brain Awareness Week 2013 we held our annual event in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 12th March. This years event was called “We are the missing million” and was sponsored by Mary Fee, MSP West Scotland. Member organisations of the Neurological Alliance of Scotland joined forces and brought together people living with different neurological conditions in Scotland to talk to MSPs, share their experiences and to ask them to recognise the missing million.

The event had a drop-in ‘market place’ format with a display of posters, each highlighting a different neurological condition and how that condition affects one person. That person was present to talk to guests about why greater awareness of the “missing million” people with neurological conditions is needed. Fourteen of our member organisations took part in this lively and interactive evening and the event was a resounding success with sixteen Cross Party MSPs attending to hear and speak to people about their experiences.

MSPs were asked to get loud about improving the support and services their local constituents living with a neurological condition receive. There remains a postcode lottery in Scotland and services are better for some conditions than others. Living with the symptoms of a neurological condition is hard enough, and often these are stigmatised, misunderstood, or minimised. In the changing climate of Welfare reform the risk of people with neurological conditions going without vital benefits, leading to financial problems and social isolation is a growing risk and an area of huge concern.

We are delighted that so many of our member organisations participated in this year event and look forward to continuing to collaborate to keep the needs of people affected by neurological conditions high on the agenda.

brain awareness week 2012

This year, we held an information stand in the Scottish Parliament for the first time. Six member organisations provided people to staff the stand over three days. We had conversations about neurological conditions with some 58 MSPs, as well as staff, journalists, and visitors. The stand displayed a wide range of literature from our members, and we followed up with materials to help MSPs to pursue matters with their local NHS Board and media.

We even persuaded MSPs from all five parties to take part in our "Brainiest MSP" quiz – and tell us what they knew about neurological conditions in Scotland! We were able to crown Richard Simpson MSP and Jackie Baillie MSP the winners.

Jamie Hepburn MSP hosted our evening Parliamentary reception. People with a range of neurological conditions, the organisations that represent them, NHS Staff, and MSPs, heard more about the future of NHS services for neurological conditions. In addition to speakers from the Neurological Alliance off Scotland and NHS Health Improvement Scotland, there was a presentation from a graduate of the Neurological Voices programme. Gillian Bedwell gave a very vivid and moving description of her experience of living with epilepsy, which highlighted the importance of receiving an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible.

The Alliance received excellent feedback on the event from those in attendance.

Brain Awareness Week 2011

The Alliance held a special event to mark Brain Awareness Week 2011 on Tuesday 15th March at the Scottish Parliament. The event was hosted by Malcolm Chisholm MSP, Edinburgh North and Leith and included presentations on:

• The Impact of Neurological Conditions on People’s lives
• The Allied Health Professional Role in delivering care
• Involving people with conditions in NHS service delivery

There was also a poster display, illustrating research and practice in neurosciences.

The event presented the Alliance manifesto and discussed its key asks, hearing examples of what is done well and provided an opportunity to discuss how the ongoing implementation of the Clinical Standards in Neurology will improve services for people affected by a neurological condition. MSPs, people with neurological conditions and carers and a wide range of researchers, professionals and organisations with an interest in neurological conditions attended the event which was deemed a great success from the positive feedback we received.

Brain Awareness Week 2010

‘Two Heads are Better than One’ Parliamentary Event

MSPs, people with neurological conditions and carers and a wide range of researchers, professionals and organisations with an interest in neurological conditions attended an event held by the Neurological Alliance of Scotland. The event which was held on March 17 during Brain Awareness Week 2010 at the Scottish Parliament, was full to capacity on the night and gave the Alliance an opportunity to raise its profile as an umbrella body and have a platform to share information about the work of its member organisations in Scotland.

The Alliance was delighted that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon addressed the audience at the event. Nicola stressed the importance of the NHS QIS Clinical Standards for Neurological Health Services in driving up the quality of care for people with and affected by, neurological conditions in Scotland. Six MSP’s in total attended the event to hear more about the relevant issues and concerns and to meet with member organisations and people with conditions and their carers.

The Alliance DVD Resource, Talking Heads, was screened at the event. The film highlights the common issues and experiences of people affected by a range of neurological conditions. To watch the DVD please click here.

The event aimed to push neurological conditions and the issues faced by those affected higher up on the political agenda to help to build commitment of positive action and real change. It was a huge success and we had excellent feedback from those in attendance