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Medical Personnel
Neurologist
A neurologist is a hospital doctor who is specially trained to diagnose disorders of the brain, spinal cord and nerves, and to treat them with medical interventions if appropriate. Everyone who has been ill with encephalitis should have been seen by a neurologist, however, in practice this is not always the case. Following the illness you only need regular follow ups by a neurologist if you have medical problems that require medication such as epilepsy and headaches. However your neurologist can refer you to other more appropriate services.
Specialist neurologists include:
Neuroimmunologists who study the interactions between the immune system and nervous system.
Neuroendocrinologists who study and treat problems that may arise from endocrine (hormonal) dysfunction.
Neurorehabilitation specialists focus on comprehensive evaluation and treatment of neurological disorders.
Neurophysiologists are concerned with the functions of the nervous system and testing the electrical functions of the brain.
Neuropsychiatrist is a medical doctor who helps people overcome mental health problems that might occur following a brain injury. Neuropsychiatry concentrates on what happens when things go wrong, on mental illness and mental distress. A Neuropsychiatrist can prescribe medication and also arrange for other forms of support as needed.
Family Doctor (General Practitioner, GP)
Your Family Doctor can also refer you to professionals and services that you need, including a neurologist.
Neurology and Epilepsy Specialist Nurses
Specialist Nurses provide care, information, advice and support for people who have been diagnosed with specific conditions. These nurses also offer help, advice and support for relatives, carers and friends. Specialist Nurses are increasingly part of a hospital or Out-Patient based team.
Long Term Neurological Conditions
A good practice guide to the development of the multidisciplinary team and the value of the specialist nurse.
The Long Term Neurological Conditions guide is a new resource produced in conjunction with a number of healthcare charitable organisations, including the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Epilepsy Action, the Parkinson’s Disease Society, the Royal College of Nursing and the Department of Health.
The aim of the guide is to help commissioners and providers of services to people with long term neurological conditions offer the best possible service. It outlines why services for neurological conditions are important, shows the importance of multidisciplinary healthcare teams plus illustrates and clarifies the contribution of specialist nurses. It also features examples of good practice and feedback from patients.
The guide also includes a summary of the NHS NWP Six Steps method for integrated workforce planning.
It works alongside other indepth coverage on long term neurological conditions, and whilst the content focuses on the conditions represented by the charitable contributors, the content is applicable to all those delivering care for a range of neurological disorders.
Last modified: 23 June 2008
