Previously manager of a qualifications authority, Sarah Gillett has been Neurology Academy’s Managing Director for 15 years. With over 23 years’ experience of event management and educational development, she has specialised in courses designed to maximise beneficial impact on the NHS.
Sarah has taken Neurology Academy from a collection of courses in Parkinson’s to a company that spans multiple neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis (MS), dementia and Parkinson’s, and which has supported graduates in developing thematic specialist courses such as for neuropharmacy and palliative care.
Recent educational offerings in spinal muscular atrophy and migraine have broadened the range of professionals being supported – and the range of inidividuals with neurological conditions who are receiving better care as a result.
Sarah has expanded the reach of Neurology Academy, taking the MasterClass model to an international audience, and has extended the reach of Neurology Academy’s educational offerings to a far wider audience as a result of a new virtual learning space, a plethora of live and on-demand webinar material, and a new hybrid model of course delivery spanning virtual and in-person attendance.
Under her leadership, Neurology Academy is moving from strength to strength with a responsive educational model and new disease area courses in the pipeline – all focussed on improving the lived experiences of people with neurological conditions.
In explaining her reasons for accepting a role as ambassador for The Voice For Epilepsy, Sarah said,
‘Often the reality of epilepsy isn’t understood. I want to help medics to become more compassionate – to help them see the person behind the diagnosis, the life behind the treatment.
Watching a friend have a seizure whilst driving – because he hadn’t told any of us about his epilepsy – was terrifying. It showed me his reality of living with epilepsy. I have friends whose children have had brain surgery to help them live better with their epilepsy – it’s not something we often think about.
Epilepsy can look so different for each person, but always, it affects their lives in a multitude of ways. Supporting healthcare professionals to bring compassion to their medical expertise and to deepen their understanding can make a huge difference to the services and support they provide, and to the way people with epilepsy experience healthcare.’
