Dr. Susan Coote:

Yes it is. Again, I refer to the specialist nature. If one has multiple sclerosis, a stroke or a brain injury, one wants a neurological physiotherapy. As I said, my primary care colleagues do an amazing job. Most of them do not have neurology as a subspecialty. It is a bit like going to a neurologist if one breaks one's leg. If one breaks one's leg, one wants a orthopaedic surgeon. If one has a neurological condition, one wants a therapist who specialises in neurology and, again, who works as part of a team. It is about that lady not falling and breaking her wrist and not being able to use her walker and needing two people to care for her. There is also the matter of her quality of life and all the other consequences.

Our members in MS Ireland will tell us that they just do not get into primary care. When they do, they have six sessions of treatment, which is arguably insufficient. Looking at the research evidence for rehabilitation, people need up to 12 weeks for rehabilitation. Then they need ongoing care after rehabilitation to maintain those gains. We talk about the post-rehabilitation void whereby people literally have this amazing rehabilitation service and then nothing happens. As Ms Rogers said, it is a continuum. One is discharged from acute care, one has rehabilitation, and then one needs post-rehabilitation care in an ongoing way, because these people are living with these conditions for the rest of their lives.