Interest Groups
NTM Network UK has a number of Interest Groups focused on research in specific areas of NTM Management. To find out more, or to get involved with any of the Interest Groups below, please contact us.
Nursing
led by Jennie Keane and Helen Dunning
The Nursing Interest group provide support and education across the nursing network to help treat and manage NTM patients competently and effectively. The group discuss current complex or interesting patients on our caseloads and offer advice for support. These discussions further leaning and improve quality of care and advice we provide to our patients and their families.
Pharmacy
led by Christabelle Chen and Jess Gadsby
The Pharmacy interest group have created Patient information for NTM medicines. This will be uploaded on the NTM Patient Care UK website. The Pharmacy group hold meetings where they share cases to increase education. One meeting involved a patient coming in and completing an interview with the pharmacists. Looking at it from a patient perspective. Recently, the Pharmacy have started an NTM drug monograph project.
Clinical immunology
led by Clare Sander
The Clinical Immunology interest group create useful guideline as to the role of immunological investigations in the diagnosis of different presentations of NTM, to enable appropriate use and interpretation of these tests and identify case of rare underlying immune defects.
To guide which patients should be guided to an NTM MDT with immunologists present and which patients would benefit from additional immune modifying therapies.
Radiology
Led by Zelena Aziz and Charlotte Cash
The Radiology interest group aims to develop a useable, potentially useful scoring method for radiology reporting of NTM patients. This group is moving towards a published reporting system which will hopefully be standardised over time.
Extrapulmonary NTM
Led by Matt Backx
The Extrapulmonary interest group was developed to highlight and improve understanding and management of the variety of extrapulmonary manifestations associated with NTM.
Work has been focused on trying to pull together the elements of extrapulmonary NTM across the different national reference labs.
Physiotherapy
Led by Lisa Morrison
The Physiotherapy interest group promote communication and networking between physiotherapists working within NTM-PD care. They promote education for all physiotherapists and facilitate collaborative research within NTM- PD physiotherapy. The Physiotherapy group aim to create and maintain collaborative links for clinical practice, research and education with other professional groups and interdisciplinary specialists working within NTM care.
Basic Science & Microbiology
led by Simon Waddell
This interest group focuses on building basic research collaborations with clinical, diagnostics, microbiology and drug discovery expertise. Member introductions, presentation and discussion about potential links take place at each meeting. Padlet site populated to aid discussions.
Dietetics
led by Dee Shimmin, Fiona Moore
The Dietetics Group hold presentations of findings from Questionnaire sent to all members to establish where members are working, clinical setting, adults/paediatrics, knowledge of NTM and nutrition and topics of interest. Majority of dieticians working within CF.