PRESS RELEASE
Sunday, 29th September 2024
Neurological Alliance of Ireland calls for an end to ‘postcode lottery’ in neurological care
The Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI), the national umbrella body for over 30 neurological organisations, is calling for funding in this year’s Budget to address what they say are stark regional inequities in access to services for the 860,000 people in Ireland who live with a neurological condition.
NAI members highlighted this ask with members of the Oireachtas at a pre-Budget event held this week at Buswells Hotel in Dublin. Members raised concerns about a ‘postcode lottery’ where access to critical services is dependent on where you live.
Specifically, the NAI called attention to the lack of neurology services in regional hospitals; the two community neurorehabilitation teams promised in 2019 that are yet to be delivered; and further serious staffing shortages in two existing community neurorehabilitation teams. The organisation has two key asks for Budget 2025:
- The delivery of fully resourced community neurorehabilitation teams for the midlands/northeast and southeast regions, and to tackle the staffing shortages for existing teams in the midwest and northwest.
- The provision of access to a Consultant Neurologist in five regional hospitals in Bantry, Letterkenny, Wexford, Mayo and Portlaoise.
Speaking at the launch, Magdalen Rogers, Executive Director of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland said, “The theme of our pre-Budget submission this year is ‘Right Place’, meaning that access to care should not depend on where you live in Ireland. We’ve seen very welcome investment in recent years by this Government in neurology services and community neurorehabilitation teams but it is still falling short in meeting the needs of those living with a neurological condition in this country. It is critically important that people in regional areas are not placed at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing these services.”
Eamon McPartlin, a patient representative living with Function Neurological Disorder (FND) and Dystonia from Manorhamilton, Leitrim said, “In the northwest we are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to accessing neurological services. The existing community neurorehabilitation team in HSE area CHO 1 is funded currently for less than a quarter of the staffing it should have and is only available to people living in Donegal. This means that the service is not available for most people living in the region. We were hoping to see funding for this team in 2024 and it didn’t happen, it’s now critical that funding is provided in the upcoming Budget so we don’t lag behind the rest of the country. Similarly, the neurology service in Sligo University Hospital is completely overstretched trying to provide outreach to Letterkenny University Hospital. A dedicated Neurologist in Letterkenny University Hospital would have a huge impact on the lives of those living with a neurological condition in the region.”
Response to HSE Report on Rehabilitation Services
The NAI’s call to end regional inequity for people with neurological conditions follows the publication of a report by the Health Services Executive (HSE) on Friday, 27th September, highlighting serious gaps in inpatient rehabilitation services for people with neurological conditions such as stroke, acquired brain and spinal injuries.
The overall report, entitled ‘Post-Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Mapping Project: A National Overview of HSE Funded Services’ examines the provision of inpatient rehabilitation facilities across Ireland. The report is based on the findings of a national mapping survey of rehabilitation facilities and includes a breakdown across clinical categories including neurorehabilitation, specialist gerontology and orthopaedics and trauma services.
Specific findings in relation to inpatient neurorehabilitation facilities show that:
- Ireland has a 58% shortfall in the number of regional specialist post-acute inpatient neurorehabilitation beds needed for its population.
- There is a very significant regional disparity, with the majority of the existing beds based in the east with large areas of the country, in particular the west and southeast, at a particular disadvantage.
- Existing regional neurorehabilitation inpatient services have lengthy waiting times from one to six months.
Commenting on the findings of the report, Magdalen Rogers said “An implementation plan for the National Neurorehabilitation Strategy published in 2019 promised to tackle the critical shortage of neurorehabilitation beds, but we have seen little or no progress in tackling this issue. The report shows that the biggest shortages in neurorehabilitation beds are across the regions, again placing neurological patients and their families in so many parts of the country at a serious disadvantage when it comes to accessing neurological care.
“The HSE’s report is further evidence as to why Government should invest in neurological care in Budget 2025. We are calling on Government to deliver fully resourced community neurorehabilitation teams; and to provide access to a Consultant Neurologist in five regional hospitals in Bantry, Letterkenny, Wexford, Mayo and Portlaoise.”
The Neurological Alliance is a coalition of neurological charities which advocates for developing and resourcing services across the spectrum of neurological diseases and neuro-disability. For more information visit: https://www.nai.ie/
ENDS