Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland, or MS Ireland as it is more commonly known, has set out a clear business case for the employment of nine physiotherapists, one in each of the HSE community healthcare organisation, CHO, areas. It has done so as a result of research and work done in the CHO 2 area where a physiotherapist is working. It is clear that the employment of a physiotherapist in that area has hugely helped all the people who have multiple sclerosis. We must remember that more than 9,000 people have MS in this country. This is about saving money, not costing money. If the scheme is introduced and one designated physiotherapist is appointed in each of the CHO areas, it will save approximately €19 million per annum.

Under the programme, approximately 1,400 people would participate in treatment in group physiotherapy programmes and another 3,700 people would have individual appointments each year. This would assist people with MS by providing them with a better level of care. A person who has MS has a higher tendency to fall and suffer injury. The cost of providing hip replacements for four people is the same as the cost of one physiotherapist. MS Ireland has clear evidence that its proposal would reduce the number of falls by up to 50%. It would also help people to be more proactive as regards their own care. Making sure people have the support they require would also help their mental health.

MS Ireland has produced a clear business plan for this measure. The total cost of employing nine people would be approximately €880,000. The current programme in the CHO 2 area is funded by MS Ireland. It believes its proposal could deliver a huge saving for the health service and assist up to 9,000 people across the country. I ask that the Department and HSE give serious consideration to the proposal. MS Ireland presented a very detailed business case. That now needs to be given consideration and the funding provided at an early date.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Colm Burke for raising this issue. I apologise again on behalf of the Minister for Health.

The Sláintecare integration fund formed part of the Sláintecare Action Plan 2019, which established the building blocks for a significant shift in the way in which health services are delivered in Ireland. Budget 2019 provided €20 million for the establishment of a ring-fenced Sláintecare integration fund to support service delivery with a focus on prevention, community care and integration of care across all health and social care settings.

Round one of the Sláintecare integration fund supported 123 HSE and NGO sector projects to test and evaluate innovative models of care, providing a proof of concept with a view to mainstreaming and scaling successful projects through the annual budget Estimates process. The selection criteria for funding were to encourage innovations in the shift of care to the community or provide hospital avoidance measures, scale and share examples of best practice and processes for chronic disease management and care of older people and promote the engagement and empowerment of citizens in the care of their own health. Successful Sláintecare integration fund projects were mainstreamed via the national service plans in 2021 and 2022 at an estimated cost of €24 million.

The MS Ireland Active Neuro project was mainstreamed with ring-fenced funding allocated in budget 2022 to the HSE to continue the project in 2022, and this has continued in 2023. I note MS Ireland is advocating for expansion of the service, with a specific ask for a physiotherapist to be employed in every CHO. Ultimately, any consideration of whether and how best to expand this service within the HSE would be a matter for the HSE to consider and make a business case to the Department of Health as part of the annual Estimates process in advance of the budget later in the year.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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I fully agree with the Minister of State in this regard. In fairness, the project in the CHO 2 area is working very effectively. It clearly sets out that progress is being made. Let us look at the figures. The 9,000 people who suffer with MS will account for 54,000 GP visits, approximately 16,450 nights in hospital and approximately 1,544 emergency department attendances per annum. Their challenge is not only that they have to suffer, but their families who are providing support have to be catered for as well. This is a clear, positive proposal for reducing the number of people attending accident and emergency departments and GPs and the number of nights they have to spend in hospital. Every night someone spends in hospital means a bed is not available for someone else.

MS Ireland has set out a clear business case, which it has researched very well. It is working on what has occurred in the area in which it has a physiotherapist working. In one of the other areas, which I believe is CHO 3, a physiotherapist is working three quarters of a week. Assistance is being provided in that area and it is proving to be extremely beneficial to MS sufferers. MS Ireland has pioneered, progressed and developed this proposal and is pushing for it. It has set out a clear plan involving one physiotherapist in each of the nine CHO areas. This would have benefits across the country for people who have MS. As the Minister of State knows, once MS is diagnosed, there is no healthcare plan that can resolve the issue. People will require continuing care and support. Now is the time to put in place this plan.

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Burke for his contribution and for raising awareness on behalf MS sufferers. He outlined the key metrics for GP attendances, emergency department attendances, hospital overnight stays and the number of people who suffer from MS. It should be a priority of the Government to support them in any way we can.

As I said, this business case can be considered as part of the Estimates process. I will raise the important metrics the Deputy mentioned with the Minister for Health and ask him to revert directly to the Deputy regarding this case. There is huge value in what the Deputy said. He has made an important contribution.