The Department of Neuropsychology at the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery has a well-established, international reputation for its clinical services, clinically-oriented research and teaching. It is one of the largest neuropsychology departments in the UK and provides a unique and highly specialised clinical neuropsychological diagnostic and therapeutic service for in- and outpatients.
Patient contact
Service management
Avril Wiggan
Address
Neuropsychology Department
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
2nd floor
33 Queen Square
Queen Mary Wing
London, WC1N 3BG
The diagnostic service involves a detailed assessment by a clinical neuropsychologist of cognitive functions such as memory, language, perception, planning, reasoning and attention as well as behaviour in patients with suspected or confirmed brain pathology. Conditions such as amnesia, aphasia, dyspraxia, agnosia and dyscalculia are routinely assessed in the department. The department also offers key input into a variety of highly complex neurosurgical services such as awake craniotomy, which often requires a neuropsychologist to be present in theatre, clipping or coiling of aneurysms, Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, epilepsy and gamma knife surgery.
Alongside the diagnostic service the department offers a wide range of highly specialised individual and group based treatment programmes focusing on the complex cognitive and psychological needs of patients and their families and carers. In addition, neuropsychological support is provided in the management of complex behavioural issues, such as for example aggressive behaviour following TBI, working closely with allied health professionals and medical colleagues in a multidisciplinary context both in the inpatient setting and in the community.
• Neurological conditions
• Stroke
• Epilepsy
• Head injury
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson’s disease
• Neurodegenerative conditions such as Prion disease
• Spinocerebellar Ataxia
• Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal and vascular dementias
• Neurosurgical conditions
• Brain tumours
• Deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease and dystonia
• Hydrocephalus
• Epilepsy
• Neurovascular procedures (eg. clipping or coiling for subarachnoid haemorrhages)
• Encephalitis
• Neuro-muscular disorders
• Auditory processing disorder
We treat approximately 6000 patients annually. There is a waiting time of approximately four to six weeks for outpatients.
Aftercare is individualised. In some cases aftercare may involve a period of treatment in the department, in other cases it may be continued by the GP, other health professionals (e.g. occupational or speech therapist) or a referral to other rehabilitation teams (e.g. residential, community).
