Psychological symptoms experienced by individuals living with neurological conditions: An audit of referrals to a neuropsychology service in a tertiary acute hospital setting

Mental health difficulties in individuals with neurological conditions can impact quality of life, exacerbate cognitive difficulties, and are associated with poorer clinical outcomes. This audit reviewed the incidence of clinically-elevated psychological distress in patients attending a neurology department referred to a Neuropsychology Service (N=400) in an acute tertiary hospital. Overall, 79% of patients endorsed clinically elevated symptoms in at least one symptom domain, with a high incidence of anxiety, psychological distress, and depression symptoms. A substantial proportion of individuals experienced moderate or severe symptoms of psychological distress (38%), anxiety (37%) and depression (20%). These findings have implications for both specialist neuropsychology service development with a view to utilising the full range of clinical neuropsychologists’ psychological intervention competencies, as well as the development of integrated care pathways to support the mental health and psychological needs of those with neurological conditions in a wide range of settings across the continuum of care.