Clinical Assessment

Cognitive Disorders Clinic

Members of the DCAL team work in an honorary capacity with UCL Partners Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen's Square, London, to provide a National Cognitive Disorders Clinic for Deaf patients. The clinic provides both a mainstream service and specialist appointments for Deaf patients.

• General Information about the Cognitive Disorders Clinic can be found on the UCLH NHS Foundation Trust's website.

How to make your own patient referral:

1. The clinic is only accepting referrals of Deaf BSL users with acquired rather than developmental cognitive difficulties where a decline in function has occurred in adulthood, particularly those with suspected dementia or neurodegeneration.
2. At present the clinic is unable to accept referrals of deaf patients who do not know BSL. It is essential that the patient is a sign language user.
3. Referrals are accepted from anywhere in the UK and should be made from the patient's GP and clearly detail the problem. The GP must state in the referral letter that the patient is a Deaf BSL user; otherwise they can not be offered an appointment that is suitable for Deaf patients. The GP should send their letter of referral to:

             Dr Cath Mummery
             Consultant Neurologist
             Specialist Cognitive Disorders Service
             National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
             8-11 Queen Square
             London
             WC1N 3BG

Roberta Williams Centre

DCAL colleagues also provide input to the Sign Language Assessment Clinic at the Roberta Williams Speech and Language Therapy Centre at City University London.

This provides communication/cognitive assessment of:

• Deaf sign language users
• Deaf children who do not appear to be making progress with either spoken or sign language
• Deaf children and adults with additional disabilities, e.g. people with Ushers', cerebral palsy, learning difficulties
• Deaf people who have had a stroke or who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease
• Older Deaf people who are concerned about changes in their memory or thinking skills
• Deaf children and adults who have recently arrived in the UK and who have limited communication abilities
• Deaf people with persistent reading difficulties