Service Detail

Locations and consultants

• Guy’s Hospital
  • Dr Al Santhouse
• King’s College Hospital
  • Dr Sotiris Posporelis
  • Dr Paul Shotbolt
  • Dr Biba Stanton*
• Maudsley Hospital
  • Dr Simon Harrison
  • Dr Tim Nicholson
  • Dr David Okai
• St Thomas’ Hospital
  • Dr Mervi Pitkanen
  • Dr Tim Segal
  • Dr Paul Shotbolt
  • Dr Biba Stanton* 

* Dr Biba Stanton is a consultant neurologist 

Outpatient treatments

Specialist cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

The Trust has been at the forefront internationally in developing specialist CBT for functional neurological disorders (FND) and building an evidence base for its use with large multicentre clinical trials. We have four full time CBT therapists providing outpatient CBT at the Maudsley Hospital – Ken McKeown, Clare Grey, Lorenza Tedesco, Fabio Simiao. If deemed suitable, courses of treatment are usually one hour long session per week for 12 to 14 weeks. 

Neurophysiotherapy for ‘motor’ FNDs (for example, limb weakness and movement disorders such as tremor or dystonia)

Outpatient specialist physiotherapy for functional neurological disorders (FND) is available with the appointment of Emily Jay, highly specialised neurophysiotherapist. 

Transcranial magnetic stimulation for ‘motor’ FND (for example, limb weakness and movement disorders such as tremor or dystonia)

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is available for selected patients with motor functional neurological disorders (FND) (especially severe weakness) at King’s College Hospital with Dr Tim Nicholson, including as part of the TONICS randomised controlled trials. The development of a routine clinical service is planned.

This service is available only to inpatients at King’s College Hospital and St Thomas’.

Locations and consultants

• King’s College Hospital
  • Dr Sotiris Posporelis
  • St Thomas’ Hospital
  • Dr Mervi Pitkanen
  • Dr Tim Segal

The FiND Programme (functional integrated neurological disorders) is an outpatient rehabilitative group therapy programme specialising in the treatment of functional neurological disorders (FND). It provides a holistic and integrated approach using aspects from psychiatry, psychology and physiotherapy. 

The programme typically runs for eight weeks and patients attend our unit at the Bethlem Royal Hospital for two full days (9.30am to 4pm) each week. 

Potential attendees must have suitable rehabilitation goals, have achieved a level of self-management so that they are independent with personal-care and additionally are able to transfer in and out of a taxi independently. 

Attendance and travel arrangements are typically limited to people who live within 40 miles of the Bethlem Royal Hospital.

Encephalitis Clinic

The autoimmune encephalitis clinic is a joint multidisciplinary neuropsychiatric clinic dedicated to the assessment and management of patients with confirmed or suspected autoimmune encephalitis and other central nervous system autoimmune disorders, at King’s College Hospital, London. 

All patients at this clinic are seen jointly by a neurologist (Dr Laura Mantoan, providing maternity cover for Dr Ester Coutinho) and a psychiatrist (Dr Tom Pollak), an approach we believe is essential to ensuring the best possible patient care. We also provide 'in-reach' advice, assessments and opinions for mental health teams within the Trust. 

FND Psychoeducation Group

This is a pilot initiative for individuals diagnosed with a functional neurological disorder and their carers. Organised by Dr Tim Segal and Dr Biba Stanton, it aspires to enhance people’s understanding of their condition and introduce to self-management techniques through presentations from members of the multidisciplinary team.