We are thrilled to reveal that TWO of our guides have been Highly Commended by the British Medical Association (BMA).

Encephalitis in Children. A Guide and Returning to School After Encephalitis were praised by judges at the BMA’s annual Patient Information Awards on Tuesday, September 25.

Encephalitis in Children. A Guide was also shortlisted for the Long-Term Conditions Award.

They are the second and third of our information resources to be Highly Commended following Encephalitis in Adults – A Guide.

Alina Ellerington, our Projects and Information Coordinator, said:

Having such positive feedback from the BMA is a real feather in our cap and reinforces the belief that we are providing the best information for people who are directly or indirectly affected by encephalitis. Like everything we put together, it is a team effort and we have to say a big thank you to all Professionals and Volunteers for their contribution in producing these resources.  Special thanks to our Team Encephalitis Volunteer, Chris Salter who was crucial in helping us to develop the Returning to school guide. I would also like to thank all the supporters who have given us feedback about the information we provide. This really helps us to keep improving our work and I would urge anyone who has any thoughts on our resources to please get in touch.

Judges' Comments

Encephalitis in Children. A Guide (2017)

The content of this resource is comprehensive and excellent. The target audience is clear, and this is a resource full of information as reference as well as for instant information. The resource itself is very user friendly and engaging to pick up and the colour and excellent photographs really help.

Returning to School after encephalitis: Guidance for School Staff (2017)

I thought this resource packed a lot of information into a small space without being text-heavy or dry. The form at the back, where family and teacher can summarise important features of a child’s needs, is very nice. I can see that many teachers, even when pressed for time or with limited contact time with a child returning to school after encephalitis, would manage a quick read of this summary and would then be able to refer it to or to additional sources when further information is needed. The acute medical community focuses (not inappropriately) on treating the acute, life-threatening phase of encephalitis and this resource is a reminder, that, even with successful ‘cure’, the after-effects can be significant and lifelong. I would hope that this resource makes a less of a mystery of how staff at school can support the next crucial steps of a child’s recovery after their discharge from hospital.