Our charity

The National Migraine Centre is the UK’s only charity dedicated to providing diagnosis and treatment for the one in seven people and up to one in ten children who suffer migraine and other primary headache¹. Since 1980, we have enabled those affected to access world-class consultant neurologists and GP headache specialists, helping many thousands of people who are unable to access effective treatment through either the NHS or private clinics.

The charity was formed by consultant neurologists Dr Joseph ‘Nat’ Blau and Dr Marcia Wilkinson, who were concerned at the variable treatment on offer within the NHS. Today, despite the prevalence of migraine and the cost to the individual and society, headache is still rarely mentioned in NHS plans and most GPs will have limited training. Weaknesses in primary care result in unnecessary referrals to already over-burdened secondary care, leading to extensive waiting lists and problems accessing services for those in greatest need.²

These gaps in service leave many patients in great distress, with the National Migraine Centre their last resort. Neither private nor within the NHS, we remain the only charity in the UK dedicated to delivering treatment for those affected by headache.

Alongside our clinic, the charity empowers people to take control of their headaches and lead better lives by facilitating research, improving professional skills in the NHS and beyond, advocating for access to the most effective, evidence-based treatment for all those in need, and supporting better self-management through our patient education work.

We receive no NHS funding; our work is largely funded by our patients, with additional support from those trusts, foundations and corporate partners who share our belief that all those affected by migraine deserve access to effective treatment.

1,2 The Migraine Trust, Dismissed for Too Long, 2021