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  • The standard of care in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a centralised multidisciplinary clinic encounter sets a new benchmark for a uniquely challenging neurodegenerative disorder

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Editorial commentary
The standard of care in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a centralised multidisciplinary clinic encounter sets a new benchmark for a uniquely challenging neurodegenerative disorder
  1. Martin R Turner1,
  2. Matthew C Kiernan2
  1. 1Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
  2. 2Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Dr Martin Turner, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, West Wing Level 3, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK; martin.turner{at}ndcn.ox.ac.uk

https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2014-309829

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    Once a patient has been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),1 management varies considerably around the world. Some patients are managed by a variety of healthcare professionals, for example, a primary care physician, a neurologist, general or palliative care physician, who may each act in relative isolation. Alternatively, it may involve more recently developed multidisciplinary models of care, led by someone with specialised knowledge of the uniquely complex, often rapidly-evolving needs of this patient group, and of those that care for them.

    The Motor Neurone Disease Association of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, established in 1979, pioneered a Care Centre model of ALS led by a coordinator, typically with a nursing background. It seems logical that the concentration of patients with ALS in highly specialised clinics would go hand in hand with the accumulation of resources and clinical expertise, …

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors MRT drafted and edited the manuscript. MCK edited the manuscript.

    • Competing interests None.

    • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; internally peer reviewed.

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