Neurological conditions: The facts

Neurological conditions are the most common cause of serious disability and have a major, but often unrecognised, impact on health and social services. They affect all ages and people may experience the onset of a neurological condition at any time in their lives. The numbers of people with neurological conditions will grow sharply in the next two decades due to improved survival rates, improved general health care, increased longevity and improved diagnostic techniques.
There are 10 million people in the UK living with a neurological condition which has a significant impact on their lives. Of the 10 million living with a neurological condition:

  • approximately 350,000 people (0.6% of the UK population) require help for most of their daily activities;
  • over one million people (2% of the UK population) are disabled by their neurological condition; and
  • over eight million people are affected by a neurological condition, but are able to manage their lives on a day-to-day basis.

Breaking this down further:

  • Each year 600,000 (1% of the UK population) are newly diagnosed with a neurological condition
  • 10% of visits to Accident and Emergency Departments are for a neurological condition
  • 17% of GP consultations are for neurological symptoms
  • 19% of hospital admissions are for a neurological problem requiring treatment from a neurologist or neurosurgeon (mostly stroke, epilepsy, dementia, headache, head injury and MS)
  • Each year 200,000 children have an acquired brain injury (30% of people attending accident and emergency departments for head injury are children of 15 years and under)
  • About one quarter of people aged between 16 and 64 with chronic disability have a neurological condition
  • Approximately one third of disabled people living in residential care have a neurological condition
  • Approximately 850,000 people in the UK care for someone with a neurological condition

Source: Neuro numbers, produced by the Neurological Alliance in conjunction with the Association of British Neurologists (ABN), Society of British Neurological Surgeons and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), 2003.

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