Action for ME blog post, 9 Nov 29017: New webinar for healthcare professionals coming soon
A new webinar aimed at educating healthcare professionals about M.E. will be launched later this month.
‘Meeting the needs of people with M.E.-C.F.S – essential facts and practical tips’ will be hosted by Emily Beardall, an Action for M.E. volunteer and Pharmacist with personal experience of M.E./CFS on Thursday 30 November from 8pm to 9pm GMT.
An introduction to M.E./CFS for health and social care professionals, the webinar will increase understanding and awareness of this debilitating illness by reviewing current symptom-management advice and good practice while also providing practical tips to enhance appointments and treatment regardless of the healthcare setting or reason for seeing the patient. It will provide access to downloadable information and guidance to support professionals in their day to day practice including signposting to self-management resources and services.
This webinar is worth one CPD credit point and will be of particular interest to pharmacists, dentists, community nurses, OTs, physiotherapists, GPs, nurses and midwives and of relevance to anyone supporting or caring for someone with this chronic condition.
Registration is now open and is free to healthcare professionals who wish to take part.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- To be able to describe the characteristic symptoms of M.E./CFS and understand how this affects daily life
- To be able to identify and apply practical measures that will enhance consultations, appointments and treatment planning.
- To have an overview of evidence-based treatment and where to find further information and guidance applicable to a variety of health professionals
- To be aware of the direction of research into the underlying pathology and potential treatments for the condition
- To be able to signpost to self-management resources and support
About the speaker: Emily Beardall, pharmacist and volunteer with Action for M.E.
Emily is a pharmacist who has lived with M.E. and fibromyalgia since her teens. Her M.E. was undiagnosed until four years ago, when she had a severe relapse soon after qualifying as a pharmacist.
As a result of her 26 years of living with M.E., she has a personal understanding of the devastating impact the illness can have on a person’s life, along with the difficulties many people with M.E. encounter when seeking medical help.
Emily uses her perspective as both a patient and health professional to volunteer with Action for M.E., writing regular roundups of research in lay terms for patients, health topics for the charity’s magazine and a guide to M.E./CFS for pharmacy teams, as well as advising the charity on health policy.
