MEDICAL SERVICES
PROVIDED ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS
Training & Development
Neurological Condition List by
Practitioner Type
MED-NEURODA~001
Version: 3 Final
14th February 2012
Medical Services
Foreword
This guidance has been produced as part of a training programme for Health Care
Professionals approved by the Department for Work and Pensions Chief Medical
Adviser to carry out benefit assessment work.
All Health Care Professionals undertaking medical assessments must be registered
medical, nursing practitioners or physiotherapists who, in addition have undergone
training in disability assessment medicine and specific training in the relevant benefit
areas. The training includes theory training in a classroom setting, supervised
practical training, and a demonstration of understanding as assessed by quality
audit.
This guidance must be read with the understanding that, as experienced
practitioners and disability analysts, the Health Care Professionals will have detailed
knowledge of the principles and practice of relevant diagnostic techniques and
therefore such information is not contained in this training module.
In addition, the guidance is not a stand-alone document, and forms only a part of the
training and written documentation that a Health Care Professional receives. As
disability assessment is a practical occupation, much of the guidance also involves
verbal information and coaching.
Thus, although the guidance may be of interest to non-medical readers, it must be
remembered that some of the information may not be readily understood without
background medical knowledge and an awareness of the other training given to
Health Care Professionals.
Office of the Chief Medical Adviser
February 2012
Neurological Desk Aid
3 Final
MED-NEURODA~001
Page 2
Medical Services
Document control
Superseded documents
Version history
Version Date
Comments
3 Final
14th February 2012
Signed off by CMMS
3a draft
9th February 2012
Condition list updated
2 Final
12th January 2012
Final version signed off by CMMS
2d draft
5th January 2012
External QA comments incorporated
2c draft
22nd November 2011
Internal QA comments by National Nurse
Team Leader incorporated
2b draft
21st November 2011
Internal QA comments incorporated
2a draft
21st November 2011
Created from existing training material
Changes since last version
Desk aid condition list updated
Outstanding issues and omissions
Updates to Standards incorporated
Issue control
Author:
Medical Training & Development
Owner and approver:
Clinical Director
Signature: Date:
Distribution:
Neurological Desk Aid
3 Final
MED-NEURODA~001
Page 3
Medical Services
Neurological Desk Aid
3 Final
MED-NEURODA~001
Page 4
Medical Services
Introduction
This guidance has been produced to assist Health Care Professionals who
undertake WCA assessments and filework.
Within WCA assessments there is a range of cases suitable for examination by
Registered Nurses (RNs), before and after they have had neurology training.
Section one provides guidance on cases that are not suitable for RNs before they
have had further neurology training.
Section two provided guidance as to which cases neurology trained RNs and
Physiotherapists can see and cases which must only be seen by Registered Medical
Practitioners.
The lists are
not exhaustive and will be updated periodically as required.
Neurological Desk Aid
3 Final
MED-NEURODA~001
Page 4
Medical Services
1. Conditions to be excluded from examination by
a Registered Nurse without additional Neurology
Training
Without additional neurology training, conditions to be excluded
from examination by a Registered Nurse are All PHYSICAL
neurological conditions excluding Epilepsy
Physical neurological conditions would include:
Physical conditions arising from Central Nervous System Pathology
Disorders of the Peripheral Nervous System
Examples of Conditions to be excluded:
Prolapsed Inter-vertebral Disc
Sciatica
Cervical Spondylosis
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
HAVS/VWF
Head Injury with physical neurological sequelae
Learning Difficulties with additional physical neurological problems
Please note: Head injuries displaying cognitive or no obvious physical impairment
resulting from the head injury can be examined by all Registered Nurses.
Neurological Conditions giving rise to purely Mental Function problems such as
Dementia/Alzheimers can be assessed by all Registered Nurses
Also the symptom of dizziness can be examined by all Registered Nurses (who have
not undergone the further neurology training) unless the dizziness is being caused by
or is co-existent with a neurological condition.
Neurological Desk Aid
3 Final
MED-NEURODA~001
Page 5
Medical Services
2. Neurological Desk Aid Version 2
Suitable for Neuro trained nurses and Suitable only for doctors
physiotherapists
• Stroke
• Prolapsed intervertebral disc
• Head injury with neuro sequelae
• Lumbar nerve root compression
• Brain
haemorrhage
• Sciatica
• Sub Arachnoid Haemorrhage
• Slipped
disc
• Brain tumour / Abscess
• Lumbar
spondylosis
• Acoustic
Neuroma
• Lumbar
spondylolisthesis
• Multiple Sclerosis (and other disorders of
• Lumbar
spondylolysis
myelin in the CNS such as Schilder’s
• Cauda equina syndrome
disease, acute disseminated
• Spinal
stenosis
demyelination, Biswanger’s disease,
• Peripheral
neuropathy
subacute sclerosing panencephalitis etc.)
• Neuropathy
• Motor Neurone Disease
• Drop
foot
• Parkinson’s
disease
• Meralgia
paraesthetica
• TIAs
• Cervical
spondylosis
• Bulbar
Palsy
• Cervical nerve root compression
• Myasthenia
Gravis
• Cervicalgia
• Muscular
Dystrophy
• Nerve entrapment syndrome
• Guillain-Barre
Syndrome
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Trapped
nerve
• Syringomyelia
• Paraesthesia
• Neurofibromatosis
• Tingling
• Spina
bifida
• Numbness
• Cerebral
palsy
• Brachial plexus injury
• Polio
• Polyneuropathy
• Learning difficulties (with neurological
• Shingles (peripheral nerves)
problems)
• Vibration
White
Finger
• Nystagmus
• Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
• Myelitis
• Essential
Tremor
• Bells
Palsy
• Trigeminal
Neuralgia
• Paraplegia
• Quadriplegia
• Huntington’s
Chorea
• Huntington’s Disease.
Neurological Desk Aid
3 Final
MED-NEURODA~001
Page 6
Medical Services
Suitable for Neuro trained nurses and Suitable only for doctors
physiotherapists
• Shingles (cranial nerves)
• Cerebellar
disorders
• Basilar
migraine
• Charcot Marie Tooth
• Tourettes
syndrome
• Dyspraxia
• Dystonia
Neurological Desk Aid
3 Final
MED-NEURODA~001
Page 7
Medical Services
Observation form
Please photocopy this page and use it for any comments and observations on this
document, its contents, or layout, or your experience of using it. If you are aware of
other standards to which this document should refer, or a better standard, you are
requested to indicate this on the form. Your comments will be taken into account at
the next scheduled review.
Name of sender:
________________________ Date: _____________
Location and telephone number:____________________________________
Please return this form to: Angie Rhodes
Training and Development Co-ordinator
Atos Healthcare
3300
Solihull
Parkway
Birmingham
Business
Park
Birmingham
B37 7YQ
Neurological Desk Aid
3 Final
MED-NEURODA~001
Page 8
Document Outline
