Blackout clinic
The London Clinic's neurology centre and consultant Dr
Michael Rose have developed a specialist blackout clinic
that provides patients with an efficient service, aimed at
diagnosing the nature of the their blackout and ruling out any
associated brain disorder
Who should attend the blackout clinic?
This service is available to any patient who
is over the age of 16 years and has experienced a blackout or near
blackout that was:
- a witnessed convulsive seizure
- a witnessed episode without convulsions, but
with features to suggest possible partial seizure
- not witnessed or an uncertain episode with
any of the following:
- unconsciousness for more than 5
minutes
- injury
- tongue biting
- incontinence
- not unconscious, but with confused
behaviour
- headache post attack
We believe that any episode that falls into
one of the above categories will justify the assessment carried out
by the blackout clinic, and will reduce the likelihood of
unnecessary or missed investigations.
The blackout clinic assessment
Every patient of The London Clinic can expect
the highest level of medical care. As part of an extensive
assessment, every patient will undergo a series of blood tests, an
ECG, and an MRI brain scan.
A subsequent consultation with Dr Rose,
consultant neurologist, will involve a review of each patient’s
personal history, an appropriate examination, and a review of all
of their test results. Our consultant neurologist will then
provide a diagnosis, a risk assessment, advice on driving
and recommendations on future management of the
condition.
How to refer a patient to the
blackout clinic
In order to refer patients to the blackout
clinic at The London Clinic, please complete the blackout
clinic referral form which allows you to:
- specify which category of blackout makes this referral
suitable for the blackout clinic
- complete the MRI precautions checklist so that we can be sure
it is safe to carry out the scan
- indicate whether or not you have given the patient the
blackout clinic information sheet
To request a copy of the blackout clinic referral form please
call 0870 199 6062 or email enquiries@matrixneurology.co.uk.
The completed referral form can be faxed back
to 0870 199 2168 or by email.
If in doubt about the suitability of your
referral for the blackout clinic, please contact Dr Michael Rose on
0870 199 6062.
The patient visit
Once the blackout clinic has received the
referral form for the patient, we will contact the patient directly
to send them a pre-consultation questionnaire and information
sheet.
The blackout clinic will also schedule the
patient for all tests, which will be carried out on a single visit
to the clinic, and will also book a follow-up consultation with Dr
Rose.
A report detailing the results and
conclusions from the assessment will be forwarded to both the
patient and the referring GP.
Payment for blackout clinic
assessments
If your patient has private medical insurance,
it is essential that they contact their provider to check that the
assessment will be covered. We offer a self-pay option for
patients without private medical insurance, or if their treatment
is not covered by their insurance provider.
Information written by
Dr
Michael Rose, BSc MD FRCP (Consultant
Neurologist)
General Disclaimer
This page is designed for educational purposes only and is not
engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The
information provided through these pagess should not be used for
diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a
substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may
have a health problem, you should consult your health care
provider.