An update from Lorna Pankethman BIOS representative at the British Thyroid Foundation (BTF)
Apologies for a very long overdue update but better late than not at all!
Firstly, I wanted to remind you about the TEAMeD project for improving outcomes in Thyroid Eye Disease (TED). Many of you will be aware of this project and may even have posters about it in your clinic.
This was initially a three year project in which the BTF and TEDct worked closely with the British Oculoplastic Surgery Society (BOPSS). The aims were to establish an appropriate multidisciplinary specialist ophthalmology service for TED and ensure that high quality, standardised provision is available in all regions of the UK. With the support of the Society for Endocrinology, one of the core elements in this project was to establish together with ophthalmology services an audit of surgical activity and multidisciplinary clinic provision across the UK .
My role in the TEAMeD project has now finished but there are still centres working to achieve these aims and the ethos of the project very much continues. The BTF still provides TEAMeD posters and support material for clinical centres and we are currently in the process ‘mapping out’ where the multidisciplinary centres are and what services they provide. Unfortunately, we still get a lot of enquiries from patients with TED who claim that they cannot get access to timely and appropriate services. We realise that this is only part of the story, but this mapping information could make a big difference to some patients.
I would like to thank all the orthoptists who have already sent us the details of their TED clinics and services they offer. We already have about 30 centres listed who conduct joint clinics including orthoptists and ophthalmologists. If you would like to help us build a more comprehensive signposting resource for patients, please contact me at l.pankethman@btf-thyroid.org so we can add your department to the map. We will let you know how this goes .
Don’t forget the BTF also has lots of resources on TED for both patients and professionals. These include a recent ‘Meet the Experts’ webinar with Dr Justin McKee, consultant in medical ophthalmology and Dr Nicola Zammitt, consultant endocrinologist, Edinburgh which was extremely informative and covered lots of patient questions. You may also be interested to know that all BTF resources are now available as easy-to-scan QR codes, as well as in paper leaflet form.
BTF- events including meet the expert
I look forward to hearing from you.
Lorna Pankethman
BIOS rep for BTF
l.pankethman@btf-thyroid.org
