Understanding the impact on healthcare utilisation of functional neurological disorders
| Disease area(s): | Neuroscience; Functional Neurological Disorders |
| Data sources: | University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHPNT) |
| Project stage: | Design |
| Ethical approval: | Granted |
| Principal Investigator: | Marie Jasim |
| Funder(s): | National Institute of Health Research |
| Reference: |
Summary
Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a medical condition in which there is a problem with the functioning of the nervous system and how the brain and body sends and/or receives signals, rather than a structural disease process. FND can encompass a wide variety of neurological symptoms, but conventional tests will often be normal in this patient cohort. Historically, this has led to the condition being relatively neglected by clinicians and researchers, and many clinicians have had had little formal education on the assessment and management of these disorders. Accurate data capturing the prevalence of FND is unavailable. The economic impact of this disorder on healthcare has consequently not been explored, and it is uncertain how this patient group are utilising secondary care services. We will scrutinise patient records to better understand the impact of this condition on healthcare services in our region. We hope this will drive future funding and commissioning decisions to provide patients with FND access to appropriate services and potentially effective treatments.
