Non-profit calls for urgent funding to help Carlow people with neurological conditions

A non-profit is calling for funding to help people living with neurological conditions in Carlow and several other counties. 

The Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI) is calling for the funding in order to fully staff a community neurorehabilitation team in CHO 5 - which covers South Tipperary, Carlow/Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford - as part of Budget 2024. 

The NAI is a coalition of neurological charities which advocates for developing and resourcing services across the spectrum of neurological diseases and neuro-disability. 

According to the Alliance, just two partially staffed community neurorehabilitation teams are up and running across Ireland, meaning only 15% of neurological patients 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.

Patient representatives recently met with Carlow-Kilkenny TD, Kathleen Funchion, at a briefing in Buswells Hotel in Dublin to share their concerns about the situation. 

Speaking at the event, NAI Executive Director, Magdalen Rogers, 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." 

She continued: "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 Carlow and across Ireland." 

NAI members also called for the establishment of teams in CHOs eight and nine as well as CHO five. 

They 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.