NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde develops digital tool for neurological condition

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has developed a digital tool to help patients and their families manage dissociative seizures, a little known but potentially serious and disabling condition.

© Pexels/Pixabay

© Pexels/Pixabay

The presentation can often result in a diagnosis of epilepsy, and the possibility of an inappropriate course of treatment.

To tackle the problem, staff from NHSGGC submitted a bid to develop an app that would support patients and their families, and following approval they worked with the Scottish Government to create a digital support system.

In the three months since the app went live more than 300 people have accessed it and early feedback has been positive, with clinicians, patients and their families finding the support within the app very valuable.

Dr Sharon Mulhern, consultant clinical psychologist at NHSGGC, and Dr Saif Razvi, consultant neurologist, said: ‘It's a central place people can go. They can find out what's involved with the condition and how to manage it.

'The app takes people through the diagnosis, gives information on why medication they've been prescribing might not help, and how to live with the condition. There are different templates to help manage the condition, and the app provides strategies that fit in with the person's life.

'In some cases, the app is so useful that once they've been through it, it's possible they won't need any additional support from medical services. While the option is always there to engage with the services we provide, that becomes a choice they can engage with only if they feel they need to.'

The app is available free on the NHS Right Decisions service – home to a range of digital services developed by NHSGGC and other health providers throughout Scotland.

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