Louth politicians urged to support call for funding for community neurology services in Budget 2024

The Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI) is calling for funding to fully staff a community neurorehabilitation team in CHO 8 in Budget 2024.

Patient representative, Sorcha Boyle from Ardee, Co. Louth recently met with a host of local politicians at a briefing in Buswells Hotel in Dublin to share her concerns about the situation.

Currently, there are only two partially staffed community neurorehabilitation teams up and running across Ireland which NAI says means that only 15% of neurological patients in Ireland have access to teams that provide vital care to support their recovery.

Community neurorehabilitation teams provide short-term intensive rehabilitation input, and provide multidisciplinary services such as physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, social work and neuropsychology.

NAI members highlighted this with members of the Oireachtas and called for the establishment of teams in CHOs five, eight and nine to be prioritised as they say that there has been no funding to date.

Members also highlighted the need for action by the HSE to establish teams without delay in CHOs where funding has been made available and ensure that existing community neurorehabilitation teams are fully staffed.

Speaking at the event, Magdalen Rogers, NAI Executive Director said:

“The Implementation Framework for the National Neurorehabilitation Strategy clearly set out the commitment to establishing a community neurorehabilitation team in each of the nine HSE CHOs. Delays in implementing this have meant that no additional neurorehabilitation teams were established on the ground over the three-year implementation period between 2019-2021.

"A postcode lottery now exists where 85% of neurological patients do not have access to a community neurorehabilitation team.

“The consequences of the lack of access are a significant, and preventable, level of disability.

"Ultimately this leads to higher healthcare needs, increased costs to the health service through earlier admission to nursing homes, increased need for home care supports, as well as the increased likelihood of falls and subsequent hospital readmissions. 

“From having the national network of community neurorehabilitation teams in place, up to 42,000 hospital bed days annually could be freed up – based on an average saving of three hospital bed days per neurological patient, if they can be discharged to a community neurorehabilitation team.

“We are calling on the Government to commit to delivering these services for the over 800,000 people living with a neurological condition across Ireland. Having a team in place in each of the nine CHOs across Ireland would have a significantly positive impact on the lives of those living with neurological conditions in Louth and across Ireland.”

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/

Pictured Above: Senator Erin McGreehan, Caroline Leonard, patient representative, from Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, Alison Cotter, MS Ireland Advocacy and Research Officer, Sorcha Boyle, patient representative from Ardee, Co Louth, Mags Rogers, NAI Executive Director, Ged Nash TD, Tony Wilkinson, patient representative,  and his wife, Kate Wilkinson from Bandon Co.Cork and Barra Briain from the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Association of Ireland. Photo credit: Keith Arkins