Dr. Áine Carroll:

I thank Senator van Turnhout once again for her continued interest in the area of neurological rehabilitation. Since the last time I appeared before the committee, a draft implementation plan has been introduced and I understand that a meeting in the coming weeks will finalise that document. Since I spoke here before, from a rehabilitation medicine programme point of view, five consultant posts were advertised and by the end of January four of those consultants will be in post, which represents a 70% increase in consultant numbers, which is a very welcome development. Significant work is under way in the development of three regional units which is very welcome. Those are key areas contained in the strategy document.

A key priority for the directorate as a whole is the development of a specific integrated programme looking at chronic disease prevention and management. It is important to look at prevention and management together as a whole rather than looking specifically at treatment. That is another welcome development for 2014.