Multiple Sclerosis conference

26 MARCH 2026

In March, Julie Taylor, an Advanced Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Nurse at York and Scarborough hospitals, attended a national Multiple Sclerosis Conference, thanks to funding from York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity.

The aim was to ensure Julie and her team remain aligned with the latest clinical guidelines, research, and best practices in MS care, improving outcomes for the patients they support every day.

Julie attended the conference to keep her knowledge up to date, learn about emerging treatments and innovations in MS care, and benchmark her team’s work against other MS services across the UK.

She said: “Going to the conference is so valuable as we can see what other teams are doing, we can get an idea of how other patients are responding to treatment. It always gives me such a boost, I come back so invigorated and eager to get back to our patients and team.”

A highlight of the conference was Julie’s poster presentation on a new drug currently being trialled within the Trust.

Julie said: “I presented a poster on a new drug we are currently trialling, and the response we got was overwhelming. We are one of the few Trust hospitals rolling this out, one person even commented that they could not believe York was trialling this.

“I had a lot of questions and really loved being able to provide information on how to get this trial up and running.”

Julie emphasised that attending the conference is only the beginning of the process. After returning, she and her team always schedule post‑conference debrief meetings, sharing insights, new learnings, and clinical updates. This structured approach ensures that every team member benefits, not just the delegate who attends.

According to Julie, the benefits to patients are significant: “It massively helps develop patient education days. To be able to speak to patients and family is invaluable. Service has been improved and we want to continue to be able to do that.”

The conference is becoming increasingly multidisciplinary. While consultants and nurses traditionally attend, future events are opening to physiotherapists, occupational health staff, other allied health professionals involved in MS care. This shift reflects a modern, collaborative approach to MS management, one that Julie and the Trust are committed to embracing.