Functional Neurological Disorder Diagnoses

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Dear Luke

Thank you for your Freedom of Information enquiry, our reference FOI/2024/2294.

We will respond by 12th July 2024.

Kind regards

Jeanette

Jeanette Pearce
Administration Information Governance

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
Howard Court | 14 Tewin Road| Welwyn Garden City | AL7 1BW
Work mobile: 07392 317652 E-mail: [Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust request email]
Working Pattern: (Tues, Wed, Thurs 8.30am – 2.30pm)

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Dear Luke

Thank you for your Freedom of Information enquiry, our reference
FOI/2024/2294.

The Trust’s response is as follows:

Statistics

1.      The number of unique patients that have received a diagnosis of
Functional Neurological Disorder in total.

90
2.      The same as above but since 2020  (the start of the tax year to
the end of this tax year)

84
3.      The total number of unique outpatients seen during the same four
year time period

60

If your trust has a neurology service or department:
4.      If applicable, the total number of outpatients seen for neurology
during the same four year time period since 2020.
832 (unique patient count)

Reporting

Note: 1a and 2a only apply if the answers to answers 1 or 2 respectively,
are negative. I would also be grateful for yes/no answers where
applicable.

1.      Does the trust routinely record outpatient diagnoses of Functional
Neurological Disorder onto their electronic recording system (which can
later be queried electronically to ascertain this number)?

Primary reason for referral and referral allocation are the main methods
used for identifying the condition referred for including Functional
Neurological Disorder
a.      If the above answer is no, then does the trust routinely record
this information for outpatients diagnosed with any other neurological
condition(s) such as stroke (any kind)?
Service Offered, Primary reason for referral and referral allocation are
the main methods used for identifying the condition referred for including
other neurological condition(s) such as stroke.
2.      Does the trust routinely report the number of outpatient diagnoses
of Functional Neurological Disorder to any other body (including NHS
England, Government or any other third party) not including third parties
which store or manage data on the trust’s behalf such as the trust’s IT
firm. If so, to whom?

NHS England will receive data through the Community Services Data Set.
This will group primary reason into more generic groupings.
a.      If the above answer is no, then does the trust routinely report
this information for any other neurological condition(s) such as stroke?

Treatment

The below are only applicable if your trust has a rehabilitation,
reablement or neurology service.
the use of “treatment” refers to physiotherapy, psychology, orthosis,
orthotics, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, vocational
therapy, rehabilitation, holistic services, musculoskeletal injections
and/or any other physical intervention. Advice or the provision of
information including leaflets, booklets and web links/online content I
have not classed as treatment for the purposes of these questions. If the
only treatment offered is medication then also please state this.

1.      Does the trust routinely provide inpatient treatment for FND?
2.      Does the trust routinely provide outpatient treatment for FND? The
Trust has two streams within which patients with FND get treated in the
community. Firstly, patient can be seen within the stroke stream, under
the stream of Supported Discharge Other. These is needs led and requires a
neurologist to diagnose Functional Neurological Disorder. We also run a
FND clinic within the outpatient stream. This also requires the Patient to
have been diagnosed with FND by a neurologist and for the Patient to be
accepting of their diagnosis.
3.      Are these provided only within the local commissioning area or a
nationwide service? These are only provided within HCT

For clarification, the use of “unique” above refers to patients that have
received the same diagnosis twice only being counted once.

Please note that the information provided remains the property of
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust and is therefore subject to Intellectual
Property and Database Rights. In view of the Re-use of Public Sector
Information Regulations, should you wish to re-use this information for
commercial reasons, you are advised to obtain permission from us.
Agreement to use the information for commercial reasons may incur a fee as
the information is issued under licence. If you have any questions about
the process, please do not hesitate to contact the Information Governance
team in the first instance.

If you require further information please contact the Information
Governance team.

If you are dissatisfied with this response or wish to appeal, please write
to:

Associate Director of Integrated Business Services

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

Unit 1A Howard Court

14 Tewin Road

Welwyn Garden City

Hertfordshire

AL7 1BW

If you still remain dissatisfied with our response, you may appeal to the
Information Commissioner whose contact details are available together with
further information about the Freedom of Information process at
[1]www.ico.org.uk

Kind regards,

Martin Vitty MSc MBCS

Head of Information Governance & Data Protection Officer

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust

Howard Court

14 Tewin Road

Welwyn Garden City

AL7 1BW

Tel: 01707 364349

FOI: [2][email address]  Access to Records: [3][email address]

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