Medical Intensive Therapy Unit - Harris Neuromedical

The Neuromedical Intensive Therapy Unit (MITU) at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery is the only dedicated unit in the UK treating neuromedical disorders. 

It has built up an unrivalled experience in managing both common and rare neurological diseases that require respiratory support and now treats approximately 150 patients per annum. It has an integrated multidisciplinary team which includes neurologists, anaesthetists, nursing staff, physiotherapists, speech therapists and dieticians. All have special expertise in the diagnosis and management of complex neurological disorders including Guillain-Barré syndrome, status epilepticus, myasthenia gravis and encephalitis. The unit has published extensively on its experience with treating acute neuromuscular failure and has the lowest world-wide mortality rates for a number of conditions. 

In addition it prides itself on the involvement of relatives in the overall management of the patient. Inevitably, some patients with severe disease may not be able to be weaned from mechanical ventilation and the unit runs a home ventilation service for such patients. The unit also runs the hospital’s plasma exchange service, which has increased enormously over the last few years due to the increasing recognition of the autoimmune nature of certain neurological conditions.