Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 8 May 2019

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health

Services for those Living with a Neurological Condition: Discussion

Photo of Rose Conway WalshRose Conway Walsh (Sinn Fein)
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If it were based on the EU figures, it should be 89.6.

Essentially we have a real problem with a shortage of neurologists and the waiting lists are completely unacceptable. I welcome the strategy. However, we can have all the strategies and plans we want but if we do not have enough neurologists, then the waiting lists will continue to increase. Will new neurology posts be created?

Was Ms Rogers surprised that the capacity of the new National Rehabilitation Hospital will not be increased to meet the waiting lists?

Do the organisations support an inquiry into the foetal valproate syndrome scandal? Are the organisations active in demanding that inquiry from the Minister? Recently, the British Medical Journalconcluded the evidence of the risks of congenital malformations in women exposed to valproate was clear as far back as 1990. The risks of this drug were beyond all doubt from 2005 but it continued to be prescribed to women in pregnancy.

Do the organisations know when a decision will be made on Spinraza? The availability of such new drugs would feed into these services by cutting down on the amount and cost of care for neurodegenerative disorders.