Dr. Áine Carroll:

Within the neurology programme we have only taken the first step in terms of identifying what the patient pathway will be, and the model of care has not been signed off yet. It is out for consultation. As soon as we have agreement about that, with regard to clinical strategy and programmes in acute hospitals, we can look at the next steps in phasing in where we want to get to and what we can do immediately. We agree that it makes sense to have an all-Ireland service for movement disorders and access to deep brain stimulation. It may be that one of those first steps would be access to either a movement disorder specialist nurse or a deep brain stimulation nurse specialist. We have to look at the steps that are required to get us to the service that we want to see, which is access to full multidisciplinary services for our patients.