Dr. Susan Coote:

This is an example of how the charities are on the pathway. It goes from acute care to the community neurorehabilitation teams and then on to the charity sector. We had a successful Sláintecare integration of fund project that enables people with multiple sclerosis and other neurological conditions to access a physiotherapist-led programme. The outcomes are very significant. We see the changes we would expect in terms of improvements in strength and balance. We see a reduction in the number of fallers and the number of falls. The cost savings from that are very important. Given one fall costs up to €22,000, if we can prevent four of them, we already have paid for one of the physiotherapist posts. We have also seen that people who engage with MS Ireland's services, including people with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, ataxia and various other neurological conditions, use the acute healthcare services less. They are less likely to go to an emergency department, less likely to have an inpatient bed day and less likely to need their consultant.

I will give an example that shows the pulling together of the community neurorehabilitation teams and nurses. A woman in her early 40s experienced a deterioration of her multiple sclerosis and needed a specific medication for spasticity adjusted. Our specialist multiple sclerosis physiotherapist in CHO 2, working with the clinical nurse specialist in the hospital, made recommendations to the consultant. That was actioned quickly and, within three or four days, the patient had a new drug prescription without needing to go back into the acute system and get a consultant appointment. The benefits for her are life changing in terms of her ability to do more things for herself without needing care. That is how things should tie together.

Regarding MS Ireland's physiotherapy campaign, we are looking to roll out the Sláintecare integration of fund project nationally, as referred to by Senator Conway. We are finding challenges in expanding it beyond CHO 3, which is where the pilot is located. We would like everybody to have access to it because the outcomes are very clear as to the benefit both to the people with neurological conditions and to the health services in reducing the need for hospital care.