National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Development Foundation

The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery Development Foundation, operating as The National Brain Appeal and established in 1984, drives transformative outcomes for people living with neurological and neuromuscular conditions through pioneering research, advanced treatment, and world-leading care in partnership with the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology. Core values of innovation, clinical excellence, and measurable impact guide their strategic funding philosophy, prioritizing step-change advancements over incremental gains via collaborative, evidence-based initiatives that accelerate scientific translation into patient therapies, enhance diagnostic capabilities, and elevate neuro-rehabilitation standards, believing that integrated clinical-academic partnerships yield breakthroughs in prognosis and quality of life.

They fund targeted interventions across neurological disorders including stroke, brain tumours, dementia, epilepsy, movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis, neuro-rehabilitation, and rare neurological conditions, supporting adults and children affected by these conditions alongside their families facing complex health needs. Key activities encompass clinical trials for emerging therapies, cutting-edge medical technologies like advanced imaging suites and interventional devices, neuro-intensive care units, specialist wards for epilepsy monitoring and stroke hyper-acute treatment, diagnostic innovations, epidemiology studies, seed funding for novel research ideas, training programs for neurology and neurosurgery leaders, and capital projects enabling rapid therapy translation. They champion translational research, patient-centred clinical services, preventative neuro-rehabilitation, and equipment for improved treatment pathways, addressing barriers to timely diagnosis, effective management, and long-term recovery for those with debilitating neurological impairments.

Exclusions include core funding, unrestricted grants, emergency relief, or non-transformative incremental projects; they avoid generalist health initiatives outside neurology. Distinctive priorities favor NHS clinical departments, university research units, and scientists delivering national-scale impact from London-based excellence, with rigorous trustee assessment emphasizing collaborative innovation, measurable clinical outcomes like reduced stroke mortality, and ties to Queen Square's global neuroscience leadership, uniquely positioning them for partnerships revolutionizing neuro-medical care for complex neurological beneficiaries.