#3100 A service evaluation of the experiences of patients with functional neurological disorders within the NHS

Camilla Blain,Ibrahim Chowdhury,Mahinda Yogarajah,Anila Sinanaj,Iberedem Ewang,Mark Edwards,Shauna Okeeffe,Tiago Teodoro

doi:10.1136/jnnp-2021-bnpa.34

Abstract

Objectives/AimsPrevious research into Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) has shown that there are significant barriers in providing multidisciplinary, patient-centred care for these patients, including stigmatising attitudes, poor knowledge about FND, and...

Highlights

Long-term neurological conditions (LTNCs) are conditions arising from damage to or a disease of the nervous system that confers a life-long impact to the individual [1]
These results indicate that the current care provided to FND patients within the NHS is falling significantly short of the standards of care expected for LTNCs, highlighting potential areas for improvement
More control groups are needed using a wider range of psychiatric and neurological conditions, as well as other types of functional disorders, to parse out the specific difficulties experienced by people with FND. These results suggest that negative attitudes and perceptions of FND from healthcare professionals, along with a general lack of structured care pathways for FND, may contribute to a greater burden and poorer experience of care for these patients

Summary

Introduction

Long-term neurological conditions (LTNCs) are conditions arising from damage to or a disease of the nervous system that confers a life-long impact to the individual [1]. A large-scale survey of patients with LTNCs in the UK found multiple issues, including delays in diagnosis and referral, a lack of structured care plans, and problems in accessing services or treatments [3]. These unmet needs may contribute to increased care burden and costs for patients as they seek the use informal and community-based care instead [4,5,6].

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Discussion

Conclusion