FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

At NeuroHealth, we are fortunate to have Dr Jonathan Hackney working with our team as our Clinical Neuropsychologist.

His PhD research explored pre-dementia detection in older adults living in the community. He has also worked in a range of rehabilitation settings (hospital-based and outpatient-based), supporting patients who have experienced conditions including stroke, traumatic brain injuries, dementia, and other neurological conditions affecting the brain.

To read more about our team, click on this link.

We are proudly based in Christchurch and see clients from across Canterbury.

If you are based outside of Canterbury, please still get in touch via our contact form. We may still be able to assist you if you are able to travel to Christchurch.

Many individuals can benefit from a neuropsychological screening, or comprehensive neuropsychological assessment.

We see clients from late adolescence (16+ years) through to older adults (90+ years) and everyone in between. The types of injury or illness causing cognitive problems tends to change across the lifespan, and if you are unsure whether an assessment would be of benefit then please get in contact to discuss this further.

We are happy for self-referrals to be made through our contact page on our website.

Once you’ve been in contact, our team will reach out to you to make an appointment.

With your consent, we will send your final written report from your assessment directly to your GP, medical specialists or other health professional involved in your care. This ensures they can ask any questions directly if required.

We also accept patient referrals directly from medical specialists and GPs.

At this time, we do not see clients under the age of 16 and are not able to offer learning assessments for children.

If you have a specific enquiry related to a child under the age of 16, please still use the contact form to get in touch. We may be able to refer you to another Neuropsychologist who can help.

The length of assessments depends on the issue being investigated.

In general, assessments include an initial clinical interview that takes approximately 1-2 hours, where a range of questions are asked about your concerns, areas you are struggling, and how things have changed over time. This also includes an assessment of factors like anxiety, depression, and trauma, all of which impact upon functioning and can have flow-on effects to thinking abilities.

Neuropsychological testing then tends to be completed during follow-up session(s). The amount of testing, and the time needed for this, depends on what your concerns are, and how much detail in assessment is required. This is always discussed with you at the outset of any assessment process.

Following the testing being completed a feedback session is then organised. This allows a chance to discuss the results of testing, what was difficult and what you found straightforward, and to talk through recommendations from the assessment process.

The cost of assessment varies depending on your concerns and how much time is needed to investigate this thoroughly.

Reassessment to track any changes over time, such as for memory changes, also involves less time and so has reduced costs.

Please contact us to discuss this further to get an estimation of what an assessment will cost for you.