Regional Clinical Neuropsychology Service

Clinical neuropsychologists work closely with neurologists and other neuroscience colleagues to:

• Assist with the diagnosis of neurological conditions;
• Facilitate psychological adjustment to a neurological diagnosis;
• Assist service users and families with understanding and coping with the impact of a neurological condition on cognition, personality, behaviour, emotional well-being and everyday functioning;
• Provide education, training and consultation on the problems caused by neurological conditions for staff.
• Provide advice and support for patients and families with developing strategies to compensate for cognitive and neurobehavioural problems, as well as psychological intervention to enable people with a neurological condition to live well.
• The service works closely with a wide range of other relevant services to provide ongoing support for patients and families.
• The Regional Neuropsychology Service has a contract with the Health and Well-being Academy at Swansea University, as well as partnerships with academic colleagues across the UK to engage in clinically relevant research aimed at improving neurorehabilitation and models of community rehabilitation.

Neuropsychology is a branch of psychology that specialises in understanding the complex relationship between the brain and behaviour (emotions, personality, learning, memory and intelligence). Brain conditions can sometimes undermine an individuals’ ability to take charge of their lives. Neuropsychologists aim to enable individuals and families to regain that control by encouraging them to set their own goals and offering specialist assessment, information, techniques, guidance and ongoing support.

Neuropsychologists assess the impact of brain conditions on memory, attention/concentration, thinking, problem-solving, judgement, planning, organising, perceptual skills, information processing and other intellectual abilities. They also assess the emotional and behavioural impact of a neurological condition. The assessments are sometimes used to assist neurologists with diagnosis, for example, they can clarify whether someone’s memory complaints are due to a brain condition or a mental health problem. Brain conditions can have a major impact on a person’s quality of life, well-being and functioning. An assessment of the degree of change often clarifies what has changed and helps to inform the patient and their families, as well as guiding rehabilitation. Assessments can also be used to inform issues concerning mental capacity, or to provide education or vocational advice.

Where the neuropsychologist feels they can assist further after the initial assessment, they offer help in:

• Developing strategies to compensate for specific cognitive limitations, such as forgetfulness;
• Facilitating acceptance/adaptation to the changes created by the injury;
• Advice on behaviour management
• Individual, family or group psychological therapy (psychoeducation, CBT/Mindfulness/ACT/Positive Psychology).
• Clinicians support patients and families to work together to understand and adapt to emotional, cognitive and behavioural changes (this includes working with children in a family in some cases); 
• Providing specialist advice and support with vocational or educational needs;
• Providing and evaluating specialist group interventions and community neurorehabilitation.

On average, 1-3 follow up sessions are provided. There is upper limit of 4 sessions after the initial assessment but a degree of flexibility is allowed, and there have been one or two people (and families) that have been seen for much longer to help address complex needs.

Clinicians and partners have created webinars to help patients and families during these uncertain times. Please follow this link to the Same You website and scroll to the bottom of the page to view them.