Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Murphy O'Mahony for raising this very important issue of neurological disabilities in the south.

The Health Service Executive's national service plan for 2017 contains a priority to finalise and progress implementation of the framework for the neuro-rehabilitation strategy.

Full implementation of the strategy will, of necessity, be a long-term project. The Department of Health has agreed with the HSE that the focus initially will be on implementation in the community, which is in keeping with the programme for Government commitment.

The HSE has committed to undertake a mapping and gap identification exercise for the country as a whole in order to establish a clear picture of where specialist rehabilitation services are being delivered and where demands for such services exist. The HSE's social care division and the rehabilitation medicine clinical programme will work together to form an action plan under the HSE's clinical strategy and programme division. A national steering group, which, importantly, will comprise stakeholders who represent all interested parties, will be responsible for the governance and implementation of the action plan.

The priority capital development at present is the delivery of replacement accommodation at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. The procurement of a contractor has commenced. It is projected that a contractor will be appointed in the second quarter of 2017.

It is acknowledged that further investment in rehabilitation services at acute hospital and post-acute and community levels is required to meet the ongoing needs of clients across the country, including in the south.

I understand the HSE's South/South West hospital group is considering the scope for developing regional specialist rehabilitation services in the south in line with the national model of care for the provision of rehabilitative medicine and the neuro-rehabilitation strategy. A group led by a UK-based consultant in rehabilitation medicine has been established by the hospital group to consider this issue. A report is expected to be completed later in 2017.

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