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

The national policy and strategy for the provision of neuro-rehabilitation services in Ireland, 2011-2015, was published in 2011. Its focus is on achieving best outcomes for people by providing safe, high quality, person-centred care at the lowest appropriate level of complexity. This must be integrated across the care pathway and provided as close to home as possible or in specialist centres, where necessary. A national steering group, with representation for all relevant stakeholders, was established to oversee the writing and execution of an implementation framework for the strategy.

The HSE recently finalised its implementation framework in respect of the recommendations of the national neuro-rehabilitation policy and strategy. I welcome the completion of the framework, which I received on 20 September. I greatly appreciate the work of the HSE and the national steering group in finalising the framework and I look forward to its roll-out in the coming years.

The framework will guide the reconfiguration and development of neuro-rehabilitation structures and services at national and local level. It proposes the formation of managed clinical rehabilitation networks, with the set-up of one demonstration network suggested as the first step. The delivery of the national neuro-rehabilitation policy and strategy remains a priority for me and is a commitment under A Programme for a Partnership Government. As I stated, the implementation framework is now completed and has been signed off by HSE management. Publication of the framework, and this is the key point, is a matter for the HSE. I am advised, as late as yesterday, by the HSE that the framework will be published in the coming weeks.

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