The North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust hosted its 8th National Neuropsychiatry Conference, themed ‘Brain and Behaviour’, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Stoke-on-Trent, attracting a diverse multidisciplinary audience.
Dr George El-Nimr, Chair of the faculty of Neuropsychiatry at the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Conference Chair, welcomed attendees and provided an overview of the conference. The Trust’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Okolo, then addressed the audience, offering further welcome on behalf of the trust and the event organising team.
Organic mental disorders are now commonly excluded from conventional mental health services and clinicians are unlikely to be trained in them. This creates a service gap that is partially addressed by the private sector. Professor Hugh Rickards called these patients ‘the lost tribes of neuropsychiatry’ and discussed the reasons for their exclusion. He also made recommendations to ensure equitable access for these patients and to reintegrate them into mainstream psychiatric services.
Professor Eileen Joyce outlined the current evidence on neuropsychiatric manifestations of Parkinson’s Disease. She emphasised that Parkinson’s disease is a neuropsychiatric condition, not just a motor disorder, and requires management by a multidisciplinary team. Psychiatric issues often occur before motor symptoms in these patients. Other behavioural and psychological problems can arise from the medications used in its treatment. Psychosis is the main predictor that these patients will eventually need to move to nursing homes. Professor Joyce further suggested that neurologists lack experience in prescribing clozapine for psychosis treatment and community mental health teams are no longer trained to manage these patients. Therefore, a more integrated approach by neurology and psychiatry services could better serve these patients.
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An informative session on supporting women with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) within the criminal justice system addressed a topic that proved emotionally impactful for the audience. Dr Czarina Kirk highlighted TBI epidemiology. She also discussed recognition, assessment, and treatment of TBI in women who display challenging behaviours. The co-presenter of the session, Dr Annmarie Burns, shared Brainkind’s findings from the Complex Lives study, which reports a high prevalence of TBI among women involved with Wales’s criminal justice system. The Brain Injury Linkworker service at one of the prisons has achieved positive outcomes by enhancing women’s understanding of their injuries and their engagement with prison staff. Dr Burns stressed that throughout their work, professionals have called for improved access to training on supporting women with TBI.
Several studies have supported the use of digital interventions and proved their effectiveness in managing neuropsychiatric conditions. An interactive workshop was led by Dr Matt Rowett, demonstrating how emerging tools can improve outcomes for neuropsychiatric patients through adaptable, personalised, and effective interventions for mental disorders. In addition to sharing recent innovations on the technical front, Dr Rowett discussed the challenges of their application, the ethical dilemmas they raise, and barriers to equitable access. Another educational workshop on neuroimaging in neurodegenerative conditions was led by Dr Habeba Ali. She explored advanced neuroimaging techniques and how these non-invasive methods can be utilised for early detection, characterisation, and disease monitoring. The clinicians were advised on effective imaging options for patient management through a case-based review of neuroimaging findings, their interpretation, and the dementia scoring system.
Following lunch, delegates continued to engage in interactive workshops designed to promote collaborative learning through professional exchange and practical application of knowledge. Dr Michela Simoni guided the delegates through an interactive workshop on neurological assessment tailored for non-neurologists. A case-based approach was utilised to help delegates identify signs and symptoms and to determine the need for additional investigations or specialist input. Simultaneously, a group of clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists facilitated another workshop, providing details on the new and efficient assessment pathways developed by the North Staffordshire Neuropsychology team to assess individuals for young-onset dementia (YoD). High demand for the older service resulted in long waiting periods, with a comprehensive assessment needed for all referrals despite the low incidence rates. The new service addresses this issue by using an evidence-based test battery. This facilitates accurate diagnosis and helps differentiate the features of YoD from those of normal ageing or other diagnostic categories. Additionally, it provides reassurance and offers additional services to patients with YoD. The speakers presented clinical examples and shared useful interventions for YoD patients, including acceptance and commitment therapy and the virtual memory skills course.
A spectrum of neurocognitive, behavioural and psychiatric issues arises after brain injury due to organic causes or resulting psychological impact, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Their presentations overlap significantly, necessitating multidisciplinary teamwork for the patient’s combined management. Dr Bruce Moore guided the audience through the science and what he described as the art of safely prescribing psychotropic medications for brain injury. The importance of patient empowerment, the necessity of family-centred care, and the possible adverse effects of psychotropic medications were also passionately deliberated. Dr Richard Hackett spoke about the heavy reliance on diagnostic methods, including imaging, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid testing, for the investigation of autoimmune encephalitis. Based on his experience and findings, he suggested that patients visiting a psychiatrist with new-onset psychosis should be screened for antibodies to rule out autoimmune encephalitis. Even in patients with negative investigations psychiatrists should monitor for other signs of autoimmune encephalitis including a history of autoimmune disorder, memory deficits, catatonia, movement disorders, or increased sensitivity to antipsychotics. Psychiatrists should also consider potential candidates for immunosuppressants.
The conference drew to a close with a compelling, poignant session as Mr Matt Ellison shared his personal journey. He described the profound impact of Huntington’s disease on his family and the subsequent founding of the Huntington’s Disease Youth Organisation. The charity offers education, opportunities, and support to young people affected by this disease.
The closing remarks by Dr El-Nimr included a formal expression of gratitude to the organising team, the Trust, and the delegates for their contributions to the conference’s success. The conference team received excellent feedback from delegates, speakers and sponsors. This annual conference has earned a space in the diary of clinicians from around the country. The 9th national neuropsychiatry conference is scheduled to take place on 15 October 2026 at the same venue.
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