Patient experiences of remote psychology sessions for management of Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder (NEAD)

ABSTRACT

Due to the rapid spread of Covid-19, the non-epileptic attack disorder (NEAD) service at Salford Royal Hospital had to quickly change its way of working. All appointments prior to this were face-to-face, yet from March 2019 all appointments were changed to telephone or video call. To understand how this may have impacted upon treatment experiences, and identify any changes that could maximise therapy effectiveness, a questionnaire was created and administered to NEAD service-users. Results highlighted wide acceptability of remote appointments, with most respondents indicating satisfaction with their treatment and a maintenance of therapeutic rapport. Face-to-face appointments were however, still preferred by over 50 per cent of respondents and limitations of remote working were raised, such as lack of personal connection and confidentiality. Long-term clinical implications for the service are also discussed, including proposed adaptions and future flexible way of working, that attempt to balance service and client needs. © 2022, British Psychological Society. All rights reserved.