There is no one source of data which will allow us to see the number of people living with LTNCs in the local area. Key sources of information which we can use as a best guide are nationally researched prevalence rates such as those in Table 1 (above.) Read the Commissioning for Value Pack on Neurology on the Right Care website. The latter of which can also be used as a measure of how well LTNCs are being treated in primary care. Some LTNC are also counted on GP registers and we can also look to the number of people who are accessing specific services as a further guide. Read the neurology profiles on the Public Health website.
Data is presented at the level of Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG.) For Wokingham, this is Wokingham CCG. Some data is shown for all LTNCs and others for specific diagnoses.
Read the Table showing incidences of long term neurological conditions (PDF document.)
All long term health conditions
The first chart, above, shows us the age standardised rate of emergency admissions to hospital due to a neurological condition with a mention of any of the neurological conditions in the diagnosis code, for those aged 20+, taking into consideration that the CCG has low rates of emergency admissions for most conditions. It can be seen that admission rates for people registered with the local CCG are lower than the national average. This is telling us that either the prevalence of these conditions (or the rate in which they are recorded) is lower in the local area or that the conditions are being well managed in local primary care reducing the need for hospital admission.
When we look at the age standardised rate of new outpatient appointments (consultant led) for those aged 20+ in the local area we can see that these rates are higher than the national average.
The percentage of all outpatient neurology consultant and nursing appointments that are provided close to the patient’s home in the local area are much lower than what is seen nationally It is worth mentioning that most of our outpatients go to Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading as this is the nearest DGH.
Epilepsy
769 people aged 18 and over who are registered with Wokingham CCG are recorded as having a diagnosis of epilepsy. This is a rate of 629 people per 100,000 which is lower than the England average of 780 people per 100,000. This does not necessarily mean that the prevalence is truly lower as people’s diagnosis may not be recorded on the GP Practice system. However, significantly fewer people from Wokingham CCG are admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of epilepsy which could support a lower prevalence or could indicate that epilepsy is better managed in primary care within the CCG. Increased evidence for the good management of epilepsy in primary care comes from a higher rate of people with diagnosed epilepsy from the CCG being seizure free for a 12 month period than the England average.
Headaches and migraine
It is not possible to put a figure on the number of people who suffer from severe headache or migraine in the local area but we can look at the number of hospital admissions where headache or migraine is mentioned as either the primary or a secondary reason for admission. Around 151 people from the CCG are admitted to hospital as an emergency for this reason each year. This is rate of 130 per 100,000 which is a much lower rate than the national average.
Motor neurone disease
Around 10 people from the CCG are admitted to hospital as an emergency admission each year – a rate of around 10 per 100,000. Numbers are too small to say that this is higher or lower than the England average.
Multiple sclerosis
Around 60 people from the CCG are admitted to hospital each year. Rates are similar to the England average.
Parkinson’s disease
Around 150 people from the CCG are admitted to hospital each year. This is a rate of 150 per 100,000 which is higher than the England average.
Brain and spinal injury
The chart below shows us the age standardised rate of emergency admissions with a mention of Traumatic Brain and Spine Injury in the diagnosis code, this is for those aged 20+. Around 35 per 100,000 people from the local area are admitted for this reason each year.