Neurology

Our neurology teams treat patients who have disorders of their nervous system.

The nervous system is composed of the central nervous system (brain, cranial nerves and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system which comprises of diseases of the peripheral nerves, neuromuscular junction or muscle disorders. However, Neurology is involved in diagnosis and management of a wide variety of complex diseases sometimes involving multiple systems. 

If you are diagnosed with a neurological disease you will be under the care of a neurology consultant. Specific diseases also have support from specialised nurses either in hospital, community or both, depending on the area you live.

Expand the sections below to find the range of specialist services and clinics for a range of neurological conditions including:

Outpatients

Basildon clinica

In Basildon University Hospital and in Orsett Hospital there are specialised clinics available for Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, First seizure clinic, Movement disorders clinics, MND (motor neuron disease clinic) and general neurology clinics.  

There is also a connection to specialised Headache clinic that takes place in Mayflower Hospital for chronic headaches, non-responsive to usual preventative treatments.

Opening times: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Call 01268524900 at extension numbers 3428, 3408, and 3466. 

Neurology secretaries can be emailed at mse.neurology.medicine@nhs.net

Broomfield

Referrals can be made directly to this department from your GP.

Clinics are operated on other sites - please check your appointment letter carefully for the location of your clinic.

There is also a dissociative events clinic (non-epileptic attacks clinic) under Dr. Castle, Psychiatry consultant, which works in Neurology.

Southend

Secretaries on 01702 385137 / 01702 385504 / 01702 385269 or email shn-tr.neurology.secretaries@nhs.net.

Neurology clinic reception and booking line, please call 01702 385305.

Testing

Tests carried out include:

Basildon

  • MRI & CT
  • US (ultrasound)
  • Nuclear medicine tests referred to Southend Hospital (PET Scan, DAT scan, SPECT)
  • NCS/EMG done in Basildon outpatient clinic
  • EEG referred to Queens Hospital in Romford
  • Lumbar punctures are done in specialised clinic in outpatients of Orsett Hospital or as an inpatient in Basildon University Hospital

Where tests are not available locally, maybe be referred to the Royal London Hospital, Queens Hospital in Romford or other tertiary centres 

Broomfield

  • EEG/EMG (located in South Wing)- Sees around 2000 patients a year and conducts tests to record electrical activity in the brain in addition to testing the peripheral nerves and muscles.  

Southend

There is an onsite neurophysiology service where we have access to all essential neurological investigations including:

  • MRI
  • CT
  • DATScan
  • EEG / EMG - call the secretaries on 01702 385264.
  • lumbar puncture. 

There are close links to the Royal London Hospital neurology department, which provides tertiary care services.

Epilepsy

Basildon

Service supported by Neurology Consultant and two community based clinical nurse specialists. First seizure clinic supported by specialist Doctor under supervision of Epilepsy clinic Consultant 

Broomfield

There’s a clinical nurse specialist supported by a neurology consultant.

Southend

The epilepsy nurse, supported by an associate epilepsy practitioner, again provides comprehensive support for patients with epilepsy both as inpatients and outpatients, as well as supporting the consultant in the first fit clinic as well as running their own clinics.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Basildon

MS service is supported by one consultant with specialist interest in MS, an advanced practitioner clinical nurse specialist and one clinical nurse specialist in MS.

Patients with relapses / MS flare-up symptoms are reviewed in the Acute medical unit in the same or the next day when needed or booked in a closer clinic for review and assessment for early management and avoidance of unnecessary admissions.

Clinics involve diagnostic processes, monitoring, management of acute relapses or other concerns, lifestyle advice and education, symptom management tips, disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) education and clinical trial option discussions, among others. 

We run a video clinic for patients with MS that are not able to attend F2F for monitoring. This is running through AttendAnywhere clinics - the clinic link can be found in the relevant area below.

All available DMDs are prescribed but for specific DMDs patients may need to travel to Royal London Hospital which is our assigned Neuroscience centre. 

Clinical Nurse Specialist are responsible for database keeping and updating, monitoring of DMDs and disease according to established protocols, prescription of DMDs and renewal of prescriptions, coordination of community services when needed, GP guidance and advice in the management of MS-related concerns, review of MS flare-ups, patients education and lifestyle advice.

Basildon participates in MS register and pregnancy MS register. MS team is involved in MS related research projects.

For changes in appointments or chasing of results, you can contact our neurology PPCs through 01268 524900 in extension numbers 3408 or 3428 or 3466 or email mse.neurology.medicine@nhs.net.

For patient enquiries, please email mse.neurology.pod@nhs.net

MS Helpline for patients with MS or relevant disorders: Telephone 01268593362 or email mse.msteam@nhs.net.

MS nurses mobiles: can be contacted from Monday to Friday 9-5 pm on 07920164310 or 07786 334451.

Broomfield

There are two clinical nurse specialists supported by a neurology consultant.

Southend

The multiple sclerosis nurses work closely with the consultants in the multiple sclerosis disease modifying clinic, maintaining a database of all patients, prescribing all disease modifying therapies, and extensive monitoring of all treatment within established protocols.

They have well established joint working pathways with our Cardiac Medical Day Stay department for the on-going provision of high-risk therapies. They run nurse-led clinics several times each week, and for those patients too disabled, or too unwell to attend, they are seen at home.

They also run an extremely responsive 'urgent attender service' for those patients in acute exacerbation of their MS, by seeing them in the department on the same day, as ward attenders outside of clinic times, hence preventing admission to hospital. 

Patient information

The MS Trust - a UK charity, providing information for anyone affected by multiple sclerosis, education programmes for health professionals, funding for practical research and campaigning for specialist multiple sclerosis services. www.mstrust.org.uk

NHS Choices - the UK’s biggest health website. It provides a comprehensive health information service to help put patients in control of their healthcare.

MS Society Helpline – the helpline gives emotional support and information to anyone living with MS. We’re here Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm except bank holidays. Freephone: 0808 800 800 - it’s free to call from landlines and mobiles within the UK, it’s confidential and won’t show on your phone bill. Direct private messages can be sent on Facebook messenger between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and our confidential email service is: helpline@mssociety.org.uk

Parkinson's Disease

Basildon

The Movement Disorder clinic is supported by a Neurology consultant with specialised interest and two community-based clinic nurse specialists.

For changes in appointments or chasing of results patients can contact our neurology PPCs through 01268 524900 on extension numbers 3408 or 3428 or 3466 or email mse.neurology.medicine@nhs.net or mse.neurology.pod@nhs.net

Broomfield

People with a Parkinson’s diagnosis will have either an elderly care consultant with a specialist interest in Parkinson’s or a consultant neurologist.

There is a clinical nurse specialist working on the Broomfield Hospital site who provides advice and support and runs regular clinics.”

Southend

The Parkinson's disease nurses provide support to the patients similarly and run regular clinics and liaise regularly with their patient's Neurologist.

Motor Neurone Disease (MND)

Basildon

For clinics, call 01268 524900 and use the extension 3408.

Migraine and headaches

Our service can investigate migraines and headaches of all types, plus facial pain.

Basildon

Specialised headache clinic is provided in Mayflower Hospital for chronic migraines and complex headaches non-responsive to at least two of usual preventative treatment options or facial pain. Clinic is supported by Neurology Consultant with specialised interest in headaches.

Provides advice on specialised treatments not available in our hospitals such as BOTOX for migraine management, Occipital nerve block, advice and assessment on monoclonal antibodies and advice in extracorporeal devices among others.

Referrals are done via your GP. Patients enqueries - 01268 524900 in extension numbers 3408 or 3428 or 3466 or email mse.neurology.medicine@nhs.net or 
mse.neurology.pod@nhs.net.

Research

Basildon

We actively support research and has academic links with Queen Mary University, London and The Royal London Hospital.