11th Sep 2020

Neurocare KnowHow awarded Ufi VocTech Seed 2020 funding

We’re super excited to announce the start of an exciting new project here at Ammba. Neurocare Knowhow is an online training platform and web app that will enable carers to develop their knowledge and understanding of caring for people with conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s Disease.

The project is a collaboration between ourselves, film makers Optical Jukebox, SiTRAN (University of Sheffield) and NIHR Devices for Dignity. We are delighted to have been awarded funding and specialist mentoring as one of the successful organisations in the Ufi VocTech Trust VocTech Seed 2020 project cohort.

Our collaboration builds on our past experience in this field. In recent years we worked together as a team on the MyTube and MyBreathing patient and carer resources. We are very much looking forward to coming together once again with our talented partners on Neurocare Knowhow. Similarly, we’re excited to welcome some new colleagues to the team. The partnership will encompass a wide ranging scope of work. This will include patient and carer co-design, content creation and tech development.

A trusted resource

Neurocare Knowhow will provide the care sector with a simple, easy to use digital resource. Moreover, it will feature real-life stories from experienced carers. The platform will act as a high-quality learning resource for care workers who may have little or no previous experience of these conditions.

Neurocare Knowhow will very much provide an innovative response to online learning. Using short videos and mini-podcasts, learning and skills will be shared in non-linear ‘knowledge doses’. These succinct bursts of information can be accessed by carers whilst on the move. Consequently, Neurocare Knowhow will use video and audio media in a much more fluid, user-led way. Without doubt this will provide a refreshing alternative to the long, laborious training courses often seen in the e-learning space.

The platform will be co-designed and developed with carers and people living with progressive neurological conditions. As a result we are able to ensure that Neurocare Knowhow will be thoroughly informed by lived experiences.

Our next steps

The project team is working towards a fully developed prototype of Neurocare Knowhow. Subsequently our aim is to have proved the concept ready for the next stage of development. At this stage we’re beginning to plan the co-design phase 1, which will begin in October. We’re really looking forward to working alongside our project partners and co-design team to develop Neurocare Knowhow. As a result, this resource will provide immeasurable support to carers and their patients.

Are you living with or know someone living with a neurological condition?

The Neurocare KnowHow team would like to hear from people living with progressive neurological conditions, and their personal assistants, who are interested in participating in co-design, filming and testing the learning resource between autumn 2020 and summer 2021.

To find out more you can email us.