A meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Health on Wednesday July 3rd provided a further opportunity to raise questions on neurology and neurorehabilitation services, following on from the NAI presentation to the Committee on May 15th.
NAI welcomed the Health committee members giving so much time and focus to neurological issues during a meeting which included on its agenda the rollout of primary care centres and CAMHS (child and adolescent mental health services).
Neurology Specialist Nursing Posts
-NAI welcomed confirmation by HSE CEO Bernard Gloster that the outstanding clinical nurse specialists posts, originally funded in 2023 Service Plan, are now “protected to be filled and established this year”.
Funding for 21 specialist nurses was secured in Budget 2022 following on from the NAI’s 2021-2022 Patients Deserve Better campaign.
A number of these posts remained unfilled when the HSE wide recruitment embargo was imposed in November 2023.
This positive outcome follows on from a sustained campaign by the NAI since the recruitment embargo was imposed last November, highlighting that the commitment to deliver on these posts was widely anticipated across the neurological services and advocacy groups throughout Ireland.
NAI also welcomed progress on a number of key issues it had raised with the Committee at its presentation on 15th May in relation to the Implementation of 2019 Framework for the National Neurorehabilitation Strategy
Community Neurorehabilitation Teams
The NAI also welcome the commitment by HSE CEO Bernard Gloster that a proposal for funding two additional community neurorehabilitation teams would be included in this year’s Estimates process.
HSE representatives confirmed to the Committee that recruitment for teams in CHO s 2,4, 6 and 7 was now being progressed as per the commitments in the 2024 service plan and were not subject to the current recruitment embargo. NAI had highlighted to the Health Committee at their presentation on May 15th that letters had still not been issued to the individual CHOs to enable recruitment to these teams.
Inpatient neurorehabilitation beds
-The HSE confirmed that a national mapping of rehabilitation beds will be published later this year and plans to put additional beds in place to specifically target the lack of neurorehabilitation beds will be submitted through this year’s Estimates process, including to expand the number of beds in the neurorehabilitation unit in Peamount Hospital Dublin.
A number of Committee members directly highlighted the work of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland and its member organisations throughout the meeting and warmly acknowledged the expertise of the umbrella in advocating on behalf of people with neurological conditions and their families. The Chair of the Committee spoke directly to the NAI representatives present in the public gallery and thanked the organisation for the important role it continues to play in bringing these issues to the attention of the Committee. He reflected on the NAI AV room presentation on April 24th in sending a powerful message about the numbers impacted by neurological conditions, over 860,000 people throughout Ireland, and the many issues they face in accessing care.
A transcript of the Health Committee meeting is available to download below.