BRISTOL neuromuscular centre recognised for outstanding care

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have received a prestigious Centre of Excellence award from leading national charity Muscular Dystrophy UK.

The charity for more than 110,000 children and adults in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions awarded NBT and UHBW for providing outstanding care, promoting best practice locally and nationally and demonstrating their commitment to improving health and care for people living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions.

In total 24 neuromuscular centres across the UK, including the centre at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children run by UHBW, were recognised.  

The information gathered through the awards process provides a benchmark of neuromuscular services across all centres that took part in a national audit. This will help centres in their efforts to build business cases for additional NHS investment in core services.

Dr Anirban Majumdar, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust said: “It is a real honour to receive the Muscular Dystrophy UK’s Centre of Excellence Award (for the third time) in recognition of the ongoing care and support that south-west neuromuscular operational delivery network provides to our patients in Bristol and the south-west of the United Kingdom. We pride ourselves in supporting children and their families living with a muscle wasting or weakening condition and providing an excellent standard of care.”

Professor Stuart Walker, Interim Chief Executive Officer at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust said: “On behalf of everyone at UHBW, I wish the Paediatric Neuromuscular Service a huge congratulations for being awarded as a Centre of Excellence.

“I am delighted the exceptional support and care my colleagues are providing to young people who have muscular dystrophy is being recognised.”

Catherine Woodhead, Chief Executive of Muscular Dystrophy UK, said: “We would like to congratulate UHBW who have been recognised with a Centre of Excellence award after a robust and rigorous assessment of their service by leading neuromuscular experts and members of the muscle wasting and weakening community. Despite continuing pressures and challenges within the NHS, these centres strive every day to ensure they promote best practice and provide an exemplary service.

"The findings from our Centre of Excellence awards demonstrate that many centres continue to require investment to develop specialist multi-disciplinary teams that can provide the best care possible along with a working environment that fosters the ability to conduct or support excellent research and clinical trials to advance treatments and other scientific progress. That's why we're calling on commissioners to include requirements for the provision of the recommended standards of neuromuscular care.”

Muscular Dystrophy UK’s Centres of Excellence awards take place every three years. The audit is overseen by the charity’s Services Development Committee, and an independent sub-committee of neuromuscular health professionals and people with lived experience of neuromuscular conditions. The audit reviews information, a range of case studies and examples of best practice as well as assessing the way neuromuscular services are organised and how people using the services can access them.

For further information on Muscular Dystrophy UK’s Centre of Excellence awards visit:

musculardystrophyuk.org/centreofexcellenceawards