Welcome to your local FND Hope UK Peer Support Group!

We are so glad that you have joined us! FND Hope UK is a registered charity in England & Wales (1173607) and Scotland (SC048333). We operate in the UK under the international umbrella organisation FND Hope.

FND Hope’s mission is to promote awareness, support affected individuals, and advance research into the prevention, treatment and recovery of Functional Neurological Disorder. Our motto is Empowering Patients to Better Health.

The overall purpose of the Group is through meeting and exchanging life experiences and problems to create an atmosphere where people suffering with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) or their carers may exchange information and receive support and encouragement using peer-to-peer contact and exchange. We encourage peer-to-peer support among our members and thus help to facilitate problem solving. We hope that all members will take part in and learn how to help each other with the problem-solving process.  We also hope to have some fun!

Ground Rules

Naturally we have some simple Ground Rules. These include:
 Confidentiality: This is key. What is said in a meeting stays in the meeting. This is an absolute rule.
 Punctuality: We ask you to be punctual arriving for meetings, as a courtesy to all members.
 Language and conduct: Meetings should be conducted with respect between the members. The use of offensive or obscene or threatening language or other inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated.
 Mobile phones: All phones should be switched off or on put on silent.
 Open/closed Group: The Group is open / closed. If closed, someone may attend meetings only if invited. If open, anyone with a legitimate interest in the aims of the Group may attend.
 Phone numbers and e-mail addresses: Members should not pass on another member’s phone number or e-mail address without that member’s consent.
 Photographs and Social media: Photographs and images of members are covered
by data protection law. Pictures of members, or meetings should never be posted on
social media or otherwise used without the consent of any member appearing in such
images.

Role of facilitator:
 The facilitator is responsible for calling Group meetings, how they are conducted and in directing topics, encouraging participation and ensuring that Group members are satisfied with the Group.
 The facilitator is also the sole arbiter of the conduct of a Group meeting and can request that a member in breach of these ground rules, or any anti-social, threatening or other inappropriate behaviour, leaves the meeting or should cease to be a member of the Group.

Data Protection

Collection and use of Personal Information: To allow the facilitator to contact you about meetings or to send you other relevant information, the facilitator (on behalf of FND Hope UK) will need to collect certain personal information about you. The UK Data Protection Act 2018 restricts the use of this information and requires that collection, retention and use of personal information may be done ONLY if you have given your specific written consent to such collection and use. If your next of kin is to be included in the information, (such as if you
are a carer) the next of kin must consent also. Personal information may be used ONLY for the administration of FND Hope activity purposes, including communication with you. FND Hope will restrict it to what is necessary. FND Hope may retain the information for as long as you attend Group meetings or are a member of any FND Hope social media support group and for about twelve months after. Your personal information may be deleted or updated if you ask us to.  FND Hope’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy is available in full at
https://fndhope.org/about-fnd-hope/terms-of-service-and-privacy-policy/