ITN Business - Inside Neurology: Our Unique Brain

FND Hope UK is a programme partner and is hosted by Ayo Sokale from the ITN London studio. The content explores the positive efforts in healthcare and science to support people living with neurological conditions, as well as organisations committed to championing neurodiversity and helping support individuals and families. The programme features key industry and news-style reports along with sponsored editorial profiles.

As a programme partner, FND Hope UK talks about Functional Neurological Disorder, which is a problem with the functioning of the nervous system and how the brain and body send and receive signals. FND Hope UK’s mission is to promote awareness, support affected individuals, and advance research for the prevention, treatment, and recovery of FND.

The programme includes insights from three trustees: Callum Alexander discusses his FND personal experience, Dr Chris Symeon (Consultant Neuropsychiatrist) regarding the inequity of care and treatment for Adults, and Dr Penny Trayner (Paediatric Clinical Neuropsychologist) regarding the challenges faced by our younger community and how FND Hope UK brings hope to those living with FND.

myFND

myFND is a free self-management app for people living with Functional Neurological Disorder, co-designed with people with lived experience of FND.

Developed by Dr Symeon and colleagues at St George’s Hospital to address the significant gap in accessible, evidence-informed support between clinical appointments, the app supports users with psychoeducation, symptom tracking, and self-management strategies.

Free to download and use, MyFND has reached around 5,000 organic users, demonstrating the impact that carefully designed digital tools.

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“Functional neurological disorder is a really common neurological condition. It happens because of a problem with brain signalling. So, it's involving brain networks rather than specific anatomical damage and it can affect any part of the nervous system.”

Dr Chris Symeon, is a consultant neuropsychiatrist at St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the clinical lead for the FND rehabilitation programme. Dawn Golder, is a National Advocate of FND Hope UK and has lived experience with FND. 

In this conversation we get answers to the questions raised by Sunflower wearers about FND. Advice about diagnosis and access to treatment pathways.

Neurological disorder 'flipped my world upside down

In this BBC News feature on Functional Neurological Disorder, Dr Symeon speaks to the stark inequality in NHS provision, noting that only around half of NHS areas currently offer specific FND rehabilitation — a gap he describes as unacceptable for any neurological condition.

The article follows people living with FND in the West Midlands, highlighting the severe impact of the condition and the frustration many face in accessing timely diagnosis, information, and treatment.

With tens of thousands affected across the UK and a growing patient-led campaign calling for better funding and training, the piece underlines why specialist FND services and accessible resources matter.