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Become a member

To apply for SBNS membership click the link below and visit our application page.

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Patient Information

SBNS is unable to give medical advice or recommend neurosurgeons. Please use an appropriate support group or your GP.

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Become a Neurosurgeon

The management of neurosurgical patients requires excellent medical and surgical skills, a career in Neurosurgery offers many challenges and rewards.

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GUIDELINES  (Some of which have been endorsed by the SBNS)

NHS England Proton Referral Programme (July 2023)
pdf_icon.gif Chordoma and Chondrosarcoma Skull Base and Spinal Pathway Surgery, High Dose Radiotherapy and Proton Beam Therapy Professional Consensus Guidelines 2021

National Cauda Equina Interactive Pathway - launched August 2023

Following the successful launch of the National Suspected Cauda Equina Pathway in February 2023, GIRFT have been working to develop an interactive version of the pathway for use in the field (click on the link above). 

They would value your feedback on the usability of the interactive pathway (link on Page 5).  Please provide any feedback directly to GIRFT (page 6). Your feedback will help GIRFT  develop the interactive pathway further.

Cauda Equina Syndrome Pathway (Februay 2023)

A new pathway helping clinicians to better diagnose and care for patients with suspected Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) is now available from the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) team.

Pathway supports clinicians to diagnose and treat Cauda Equina Syndrome without delay - Getting It Right First Time - GIRFT

GIRFT worked collaboratively a multidisciplinary group of more than 60 healthcare professionals to develop the interactive pathway designed to support teams to diagnose and treat the condition without delay. It offers best practice along all stages of the pathway, from presentation to GP or in the community through to post-operative care. It is supported by detailed guidance, including best practice for referrals and imaging, surgical techniques and pain control.

The resources were developed in collaboration with the fUpdateormer Best MSK Health improvement programme and are co-badged by 11 professional bodies and patient groups, including the SBNS.


pdf_icon.gif The use of Cerebral CT Angiography as an Ancillary Investigation to support a clinical Diagnosis of Death using Neurological Criteria A consensus guideline - January 2023

Expert Witness Guidelines - August 2019 

pdf_icon.gif Standards Expected of an Expert Spinal Surgeon Witness in Cases of Clinical Negligence

Management of Patients with Gas Embolism  (Produced by the Intensive Care Society) - Sept 2018

pdf_icon.gif Guideline for Managing Gas Embolism

 Guidance For Intensive Care and and Resuscitation Teams

UK Guidelines for diagnosis, referral and management in primary and secondary care - July 2018

webpage_icon.gif National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke  October 2016   

The fifth edition of the National Clinical Guideline for Stroke was published in October 2016. It was prepared by the Royal College of Physicians Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party chaired by Professor Tony Rudd. This working party also oversees the National Audit Programme for Stroke. The 2016 edition of the guideline has been accredited by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

webpage_icon.gif Stroke: National Clinical Guideline for Diagnosis and Initial Management of Acute Stroke and Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA).
webpage_icon.gif National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions (UK).

London: Royal College of Physicians (UK); 2008. 
webpage_icon.gif National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence: Guidance

This guideline covers interventions in the acute stage of a stroke (acute stroke) or TIA. Most of the evidence considered relates to interventions in the first 48 hours after onset of symptoms, although some interventions of up to 2 weeks are covered as well. The guideline is a stand-alone document, but is designed to be read alongside the Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party guideline, which incorporates all the recommendations made in this guideline. 

 

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome in Adults 2018

pdf_icon.gif  Complex Regional Painsyndrome in Adults 

 

Concussion - June 2015

pdf_icon.gif Concussion Guidelines for the Education Sector 

 

Management of cardiac arrest during neurosurgery in adults - March 2015
pdf_icon.gif Guidelines for Healthcare Providers

 

webpage_icon.gif Complex regional pain syndrome guidelines 
Launched in June 2012 on the RCP website and endorsed by the SBNS

 



Last Updated: 1 December 2023

POSITION STATEMENTS 

 

Legal Aspects of Medical Manslaughter  May 2018
pdf_icon.gif Position Statement

 

General Surgery of Childhood  April 2018
Working together to improve the local delivery of the General Surgery of Childhood

 

pdf_icon.gif  Lower Back Pain - June 2017 

National Back and Radicular Pain Pathway - June 2017

 

Surgical Forum of Great Britain and Ireland held on the 25th January 2016
pdf_icon.gif Choosing Wisely in Surgery


Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness 

 You can download the guidelines and associated material free from the RCP website:

webpage_icon.gif http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/resources/prolonged-disorders-consciousness-national-clinical-guidelines

 

Spinal Cord Stimulator for Pain

webpage_icon.gif Surgeon's Information
webpage_icon.gif Patient Information

webpage_icon.gif The initial care and transfer of patients with spinal cord injuries

 

Published by British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2015

http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/aev233?
ijkey=oJ42lVhfDkzz938&keytype=ref