Compass is still being developed and is effectively in beta. Some content and features may be incomplete, change, or not work as expected.

Content is anchored to trusted sources where available, but Compass has not yet been clinically reviewed. It provides general information rather than medical advice.

Feedback helps us identify gaps, errors, usability problems and opportunities to improve Compass over time.

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Updates

What has changed in Compass, newest first. Compass is still in beta and still growing, so this page fills in as new things arrive.

August 2026

  1. The Feed gets clearer

    The Feed now opens with the newest developments, brings coverage of the same story together instead of repeating it, and dates each item by when its source published it rather than when Compass found it.

  2. Look up unfamiliar ALS/MND terms

    Terms explained is a plain-language glossary of the words you may hear in a clinic, in research, or from a service. More than 120 words and abbreviations, each with its own page, and all of them findable from search.

    • Written and reviewed so a definition means what a clinician would mean by it

  3. Compass opens to more readers

    Compass is now open to anyone who finds it, as a clearly labelled beta. A short introduction on the home page explains what Compass is and how to use it, whether you are living with ALS/MND, caring for someone, or working in the field.

  4. Find out who does what in your care team

    People who may help explains the kinds of people involved in ALS/MND care: what each one does, when they usually get involved, and how to reach them where you live.

    • 34 roles, with the list adapting to where you are
    • Ten cards now point to the people most likely to help with that topic
    • Search for a role by the words you were given, like OT or speech therapist

  5. Search that finds the words you actually use

    Search now looks through the whole of Compass rather than just page titles, so everyday searches like "PEG tube", "choking" or "shower chair" find the pages that answer them.

  6. Get Compass updates by email

    You can sign up for a weekly summary of worthwhile Feed updates, occasional news about Compass, or both. Every subscription is confirmed by email first, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

  7. See whether equipment will fit in your own room

    The Equipment Planner lets you set out your own room, place equipment in it, and find out whether it actually fits. The space it measures against comes from published guidance, not guesswork.

    • Draw a room with its doorways, then place a wheelchair, hoist, bed or chair
    • See what clears and what does not, and by how much
    • Print the plan to take to an occupational therapy appointment

  8. Compass adapts to where you are

    Tell Compass where you are and how your care is supported, and it can bring the information most relevant to your situation forward rather than treating everyone the same.

    • Australia-specific pathways such as the NDIS and My Aged Care are built in
    • Information for your situation is brought forward without hiding the broader alternatives

  9. Follow ALS/MND news and research in one place

    The Feed gathers news and research about ALS/MND from named sources and tells you what is new, with the original always one tap away.

    • Narrow it to what is most likely to matter to you
    • Save anything you want to come back to

  10. Plan what matters to you with My Plan

    My Plan collects anything in Compass, cards, questions, resources and things to do, into one personal list you can take to an appointment. Everything you save stays on your own device and is never sent anywhere.

    • Sort what you save into Now, Next, Next appointment, Later, Completed or Not relevant
    • Add your own notes, questions and decisions
    • Print it, save it as a PDF, or keep a copy of the whole thing

  11. See where every answer comes from

    Statements in Compass answers now show you the source behind them, with the exact passage quoted, so you can check anything you read without leaving the page.

    • 585 statements mapped this way, across all 44 cards
    • A new Sources page lists every organisation Compass draws on, and what each one supports

  12. Compass becomes a website of its own

    Compass moved out of the private tool it was written in and became a site you can read from end to end: every domain, every card, and the questions and resources attached to them. It stayed closed while the content was reviewed.

    • 44 cards across eight areas: medical care, breathing, communication, mobility, research and trials, lifestyle, planning and support
    • Easy access: larger text and controls, and less movement on the page, whenever you want them
    • Tell Compass a little about your situation and it arranges itself around you