What makes a ‘good’ neuropsychological assessment? An evaluation of service user and professional stakeholder perspectives

Abstract

BackgroundNeuropsychological assessment enables clinicians to use standardised tools and systemic formulation approaches to assess cognition and provide targeted psycho-education and rehabilitative input. The research literature is currently limited regarding the perspectives of different stakeholders on the neuropsychological assessment experience, and resulting reports.AimsThis paper explores what professional stakeholders consider to be a ‘good’ neuropsychological assessment/what is important to them, and examines service user experiences of neuropsychological assessment within a neuropsychology outpatient service.MethodA small-scale service evaluation project comprised an online survey completed by 17 professionals who receive neuropsychological report from this service. A semi-structured schedule was used to guide telephone interviews with nine service users who had recently experienced a neuropsychological assessment.ResultsBoth professional stakeholder surveys and service user telephone interviews provided feedback regarding what they found helpful and unhelpful in neuropsychological assessments, and suggested areas for improvement including: provision of an information booklet, offering a choice of remote or in-person appointments, and offering follow-up appointments after the assessment.DiscussionReeommendations are made for service improvements, and for future larger-scale research projects within this subject area.