April 2, 2025, by mszteh
How a student project transformed lives
40 years ago, Dr Katie Rhodes, then a medical student, completed her BMedSci focusing on the provision of services for families with children born with Down’s syndrome. Inspired by her sister Lucy’s journey, she completed multiple discussions with many families highlighting that support offered was very variable across Nottingham. Little did Dr Katie Rhodes know, but the paediatric neurodisability team went on to build a specialised Down’s syndrome service consisting of a monthly specialist clinic, working with community teams and charities to raise awareness and improve care for children and young people with Down’s syndrome – meeting all of her project recommendations!
On my SSM in paediatric neurodisability it was my joy to observe this clinic and join in with the 40th birthday celebration. I really enjoyed being part of the clinic and seeing how the physiotherapy and medical teams delivered specialist care tailored to children and young people with Down’s syndrome. It was a pleasure to meet both the children and families who had been part of the service for many years but also those to whom it was completely new. I met two families on their first visits to the clinic. It was great to see how the service offered much reassurance, support and advice to the families. The waiting room was a hive of activity where the children and families could meet. It was lovely to see how the families and Nottingham Down’s Syndrome Support Group welcomed the newcomers and exchanged contact details. I was left with a sense that these families were truly part of a community. The celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the Down’s syndrome clinic saw current and previous patients and staff excited to reflect on how much services had improved and ongoing positive hopeful steps for greater inclusion and less stigma. Parents shared precious stories and, for many of these children, the future is bright and hopeful.
With the opportunity to do my own project on autism throughout my placement, I hope to contribute in a similar way. I audited the autism referral pathways to see whether children and young people are being referred to the service with all the correct information. By identifying any information gaps and presenting the findings to the Community Paediatric team I hope that I’ll have played a role in improving the service for children and their families by highlighting the number of appointments and time taken to make or exclude an autism diagnosis.
I am very glad to have spent time in the Down’s syndrome clinic in Nottingham. It was inspiring to see how a medical student’s thoughtful and well-supported initiative has transformed lives over time. While my project may not have the same profound impact as Dr Katie Rhodes’s work, I’m optimistic that it will contribute to making services more efficient and accessible. It’s encouraging to think that even small steps can lead to lasting change and I’ll carry this learning with me throughout my career.
By Fiona McFarlane, AP1 medical student.
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