Lay summary
Functional neurological disorder (FND) is a common and often highly disabling condition. In Aotearoa New Zealand, there is a significant gap in clinical and research knowledge about FND. This research will shine a light on FND from several angles, including health service utilisation, patient experience, clinical education, and the efficacy of a potential treatment. It will evaluate trends in FND incidence and healthcare utilisation using multiple large datasets. Patient experiences of FND care will be investigated through surveys and interviews. Clinical education will be assessed by analysing teaching materials from clinical health programmes. Finally, a randomised study will explore the benefits of transcranial magnetic stimulation for people with functional gait disorder. This research aims to amplify the voices of people with FND, inform resource allocation, policy decisions, and clinical education, and potentially lead to new treatment approaches that reduce disability and enhance quality of life.