FOI 2025/1487

I am writing on behalf of FND Action, a UK charity supporting people living with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and their families. We are currently undertaking work to build an accurate, UK-wide overview of NHS services available for patients with FND, due to significant variation in referral pathways and provision across different regions.

For clarity, our intention is to publish only active services and their referral routes on our website. Any non-public or operational details you provide will be treated as confidential and will not be shared.

To help ensure that patients, GP’s and local services in your area can access appropriate support, we would be grateful if you could please provide details for the following:

1. Current FND Services in Your Area
a. Do you commission any specialist services for FND (neurology, neuro-physiotherapy, neuro-rehabilitation, neuropsychiatry/psychology, MDT clinics, etc.)?
b. Please list the relevant services and locations.

2. Referral Process
a. How can patients be referred into these services?
b. Are referrals accepted from GP’s directly, or via neurology only?
c. Are there specific referral criteria or exclusion criteria?
d. Do services accept referrals from outside the immediate locality?

3. Gaps or Partial Provision
a. If FND services are limited or not currently commissioned, how should patients in your area access appropriate assessment and treatment?
b. Are there alternative pathways, interim arrangements, or cross-ICB agreements in place?
c. Are you aware of any planned service improvements or commissioning work relating to FND?

1a. NHS Greater Manchester (NHS GM) does commission a specialist psychological pathway for FND; however, this is currently available only to a limited selection of residents in Manchester and Salford. Access is through the FuND (Functional Neurology) Service based at Gaskell House in Manchester.

Gaskell House, run by Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, is a dedicated NHS facility providing specialist psychological assessment and evidence‑based therapy for individuals with functional neurological (medically unexplained) symptoms. The service offers interventions tailored to FND, including psychodynamic interpersonal therapy and cognitive-behaviourally informed approaches, focused on understanding and managing functional symptoms

NHS Greater Manchester (NHS GM) does not commission a specialist physical FND service.  GPs can however refer to local neurology departments as well as submit an individual funding request in some instances.

1b. FuND (Functional Neurology) Service at Gaskell House, 28 Swinton Grove, Manchester, M13 0EU.

Local Neurology Departments:

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust

Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

2a. Referrals to the FuND Service are usually made via secondary care or GP referral, with acceptance based on clinical criteria.

GPs can make direct referrals to the local neurology departments

2b. Please see the response to question 2a.

2c. There are no formal inclusion and exclusion criteria included in the service specification from NHS GM, but the provider may have internal processes that include acceptance criteria.  These would need to be sought directly from Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust.

NHS GM does not hold the criteria for the local neurology departments therefore, it will be necessary for you to contact the providers directly for the information you seek. Please see the response to question 3a for links to their websites.

2d. Referrals for the FuND service are not accepted from outside of the commissioned areas

Please refer to the response to question 2c regarding the local neurology departments.

3a. NHS Greater Manchester (NHS GM) does not hold the information requested; it will be necessary for you to contact the Provider Trusts commissioned in Greater Manchester for the information you seek.  To assist you, please find below links to their websites with information about how to make a Freedom of Information request.

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of information – Bolton NHS FT (boltonft.nhs.uk)

Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of Information Requests :: Northern Care Alliance

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of Information – Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (mft.nhs.uk)

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of Information – Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust – Freedom of Information Requests :: Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care (tamesideandglossopicft.nhs.uk)

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – WWL Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust | FOI Disclosure Log

3b. Patients can access out of area provision via Individual Funding Requests however this is under review.

3c. There are current plans to expand the provision of psychological therapies for FND, but no timescale for these has been identified at this time

There are no plans in 2026/27 to commission a Specialist FND assessment and treatment services. However, NHS GM reviews its commissioning priorities as part of the annual planning cycle.