Dr Ben Hueso is the first GP Registrar doing a VTS GP Integrated Training Post in Headache. As part of this role, he attended the recent Hull meeting.
I am currently an ST2 GP Registrar in South East London, working across Bromley Community Headache Clinic, St Thomas’ Hospital, and Brockwell Park Surgery. Having graduated from King’s College London (GKT) in 2021, I pursued this role due to a strong interest in headache medicine. This post, under the supervision of Dr. Rachael Kilner, is the first formal VTS GP Integrated Training Post in Headache(ITP) within the King’s GP Vocational Training Scheme and the only one of its kind presently in the UK.
A BASH Bursary opportunity
Through this position, I was introduced to BASH and received a BASH bursary to attend the 10th Biennial Hull-BASH Headache Meeting, which provided invaluable insights into current research, treatment advancements and delivery of care both in the UK and internationally.
Key Takeaways from the BASH Headache Meeting
Global Burden and Barriers to Care
The Second Vicky Quarshie memorial lecture was delivered by Professor Rami Burstein on the topic of 'Can we cure Migraine?'. He is pictured in the title photo with Professor Fayyaz Ahmed who has organised this conference for many years now.
Professor Mario Peres emphasised the scale and impact of migraine affecting over 300 million people worldwide, with fewer than 20% receiving appropriate treatment. Worldwide, migraine is among the ten most disabling condition in adults and a leading cause of disability in children and adolescents.
Advancements in Therapeutics
Professor Peter Goadsby traced the history of migraine treatments and explored future possibilities. Recently emergent therapies, such as Gepants and Lasmiditan, offer hope by targeting migraine attacks during the premonitory phase and avoiding medication overuse headaches (MOH), reshaping both acute and preventive care strategies.
Diagnostic Complexity and Patient Engagement
The conference underscored the complexity of diagnosing and managing headache and facial pain disorders. Differentiating between migraine attacks, “sinus headaches”, and other primary or secondary headaches particularly requiring significant expertise. Effective care involves understanding nuanced adult and paediatric presentations, educating patients and their families, and adopting a holistic, patient-centered approach.
My Experience of the Conference as a GP Registrar
There were several key note speakers covering a variety of headache presentations and subject areas, with the benefit of international and world renowned experts in headache medicine. Membership of BASH and attending the conference should be a “must attend” event for any healthcare professionals interested in the subject of headache. In addition to the valuable educational component, it is a useful networking opportunity with a truly multi-disciplinary attendance from Dentists to Allied Healthcare Professionals.
Personal Insights and Looking Forward
The BASH Headache Conference reinforced the need for multidisciplinary collaboration, refined diagnostics, and tailored treatments to address diverse patient needs. Advances in understanding surrounding the pathophysiology and new therapeutics offer hope, but challenges remain. Ensuring equitable access to care and advocating for systemic change is essential – there’s clearly no shortage of patients suffering from headache disorders, however those receiving appropriate diagnosis and importantly effective treatment are sadly lacking on not only a domestic, but international level.
I think schemes, such as the ITP post I’m on, the experiences it provides in terms of further development and highly tailored training, offer an opportunity to address some of the healthcare inequity surrounding headache disorders. In my opinion, BASH provides an exemplary opportunity to expand knowledge in the area of headache and I am immensely grateful for both the bursary and experience it has provided.
Join BASH and get involved!
I would strongly recommend my colleagues and peers to engage with opportunities such as those offered through BASH and to get involved. The burden of headache disorders is immense, with a richness of opportunity in terms of the ability to make a difference to patients and to engage with further research and development in this area.
Overall, the experience reminded me of the resilience of patients living with migraine and other headache disorders and the difficulties they face in getting the care they need. It is our duty as clinicians to push boundaries in research, advocacy, and care delivery – something BASH advocates for, and delivers on, by making these educational opportunities available.
Dr Ben Hueso
GP Registrar ST2 with Integrated Training in Headache
Bromley Community Headache Clinic, St Thomas’ Hospital and Brockwell Park Surgery.
Editor's Note: To learn more about the Integrated Training Post, please see the earlier blog post by Dr Rachael Kilner.
To learn more about our Bursaries, please click here.
