Dentists and GPs offered training to spot early MND signs in UK first

Dentists, GPs and other healthcare professionals are being offered training to recognise potential early signs of motor neurone disease (MND) as part of a new programme.

The charity foundation set up by Scotland rugby star Doddie Weir, who died after being diagnosed with MND, is launching the first programme of its kind in the UK.

Called RACE to Diagnose, it will offer guidance to healthcare professionals who may encounter patients with early signs of the disease.

MND can be difficult to diagnose in its early stages and it is hoped that allowing people to have treatments earlier in the course of the disease will improve outcomes.

The training programme also shows professionals how to explain an urgent referral without causing unnecessary alarm, and what clinical details to include so specialist teams can assess and prioritise the patient.

Early indicators of the life-shortening condition can include progressive or unexplained muscle weakness and wasting, or changes affecting speech, the tongue or swallowing.

Jessica Lee, director of research at the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, said: “MND is not common, its early signs can vary considerably and there is no single test that tells you conclusively that someone has it. That means people can move between different parts of the healthcare system before they reach the right specialist.

“RACE to diagnose gives professionals practical guidance on what to look for, how to assess what they are seeing and when to make an urgent referral.”

“As treatments begin to emerge, reaching people earlier in the course of the disease may be critical to giving those treatments the best possible chance of having an effect.

“But earlier diagnosis is about much more than treatment.

“It can give people with MND and their families more time to understand what is happening, access the right support, adapt their homes and decide how they want to approach the future.”

Former NHS consultant anaesthetist Andy Vaughton experienced symptoms for several years before being diagnosed with MND in 2021.

He said delays to diagnoses can deprive people of access to care and postpone important decisions about their lives.

Mr Vaughton, from Poole in Dorset, said: “For most people, MND doesn’t progress as slowly as it has for me.

“You need time to process what is happening, access the care you are going to require and bring together all the hospital specialists who will be involved.

“You also need to deal with everything at home and with your family. I knew I had a limited window of able-bodied life left, when I could still do the things I wanted to do.

“Having time to decide how to make the most of that window was incredibly important.

“I travelled, did the sports I loved and spent precious time with my wife and boys.”

The father-of-three recently completed a continuous 100km challenge along the Jurassic Coast to raise money for MND causes

Mr Vaughton continued: “I look back on that as a period well spent and know I made the right decision.

“I have been fortunate because my MND has progressed slowly, but for some people that window can be very short.”

Earlier diagnosis of MND can enable eligible people to begin available treatments or enter clinical trials earlier in the course of the disease.