Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy MacSharry for raising the matter of the recruitment of additional nurse specialists in neurology for Sligo University Hospital.

The issue has come to the fore as part of a national campaign organised by the Neurological Alliance of Ireland. I could be standing where the Deputy is standing and raising the exact same issue about the south east. I compliment the alliance on bringing the challenges its members are facing to the fore.

Neurology nurse specialists play an important role in triaging, assessing and providing ongoing support to neurological patients. This in turn builds capacity within neurological services and allows for more timely access to efficient, equitable and quality care for patients. I met a group of three consultants regarding Huntington's disease yesterday, which falls under this area also.

The national clinical programme for neurology, in conjunction with the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, completed an all-Ireland survey of neurological services in 2020. The survey highlighted that although all neurological centres have access to a designated clinical nurse specialist and-or an advanced nurse practitioner, the total number of neurology nurse specialists is significantly below, as the Deputy said, what is recommended by international guidelines. The national clinical programme recognises the need to address this deficit to ensure the provision of efficient and timely care.

An additional 16 clinical nurse specialists and advanced nurse practitioners have been sought for 2022, as the Deputy stated, across different specialties and hospital groups. While a final decision on funding is currently awaiting finalisation of the HSE service plan, the additional posts sanctioned will initially address the areas of greatest geographical inequity, and the sub-specialties that are most in need. Plans to increase the overall number of neurology nurse specialists incrementally will then be developed to address the remaining needs.

The national clinical programme for neurology recognises the value that skilled and highly trained nursing staff add to neurological services. It has endeavoured to endorse this by focusing its current work streams and initiatives around nurse-led clinics, nurse liaison services and outreach programmes. Examples of this include the headache programme and epilepsy outreach programme, both funded under the Sláintecare innovation fund.

These programmes involve reconfiguration of the management of these conditions, enabling clinical nurse specialists and advanced nurse practitioners to lead and co-ordinate care of these conditions in the community. This reduces reliance on consultant neurologists and tertiary services, in turn reducing waiting lists, allowing more timely access to services and improving the overall quality of care.

The north-west regional consultant-led neurology service is based in Sligo University Hospital with a regional commitment to Letterkenny University Hospital. The existing nursing staff currently in place at the neurology service at Sligo University Hospital includes two advanced nurse practitioners in epilepsy, three clinical nurse specialists in neurology and one candidate advanced nurse practitioner in movement disorders employed through community healthcare organisation services, working across both Sligo University Hospital and Sligo-Leitrim community services.

In addition to the two existing consultant neurologists in place, the national clinical programme for neurology has recommended the appointment of a third consultant neurologist to help fulfil the neurology care needs of the population of the north west. This post is expected to be filled in 2022.

The bottom line today is in relation to the additional 16 clinical nurse specialists and the advanced nurse practitioners across different specialties with a final decision pending. I give the Deputy a commitment I will raise it with the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, because it is one I am hearing about all over the country.

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