Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I compliment the Senator on her understanding of the value of the nurses we are speaking about and the impact they have on patients. I know this is an issue close to her heart and one she has raised on previous occasions. I also understand how important it is to the people of the mid-west that such services are available when needed and that they are adequately resourced and staffed. In this regard, the Government and Department of Health are fully committed to improving patient services and having patient-centred care in Limerick and throughout the country. This commitment is reflected in the unprecedented level of funding being targeted at the health service in budget 2022. This funding will help build on the support that has been provided to University Hospital Limerick in the form of additional staffing, in particular in the development of increased bed capacity over recent years.

As is always the case, more can be done. University Limerick Hospitals Group, ULHG, fully recognises the need for additional resources in neurological services. This is why, in 2021, ULHG sought and received approval for two additional consultant neurologist posts to help address the deficit in the service. The recruitment process to fill these posts has commenced and interviews are scheduled to take place on 28 October. It is hoped that both of these posts will be filled from the campaign.

ULHG is committed to developing the service in line with population health and consistent with the model of care outlined by the national clinical programme for neurology. It has advised the Department of Health that there are two specialist nurses working in neurological services at University Hospital Limerick. It is important to note these specialist nurses are supported by a total of nine nursing staff providing services in a range of specialties, including services for Parkinson's disease, which has two clinical nurse specialists and one clinical nurse manager. Epilepsy services at the hospital have one clinical nurse specialist and one staff nurse. Multiple sclerosis services at University Hospital Limerick have one clinical nurse specialist. Stroke services operate with one advanced nurse practitioner, one clinical nurse specialist and one level 2 clinical nurse manager. In addition, the neurological services at ULHG work with the designated stroke and neurology ward in University Hospital Limerick, where all staff are trained to care for neurology patients with a multidisciplinary approach that also incorporates allied health services, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy.I am assured University Limerick Hospitals Group remains committed to the progressive development of neurology services within the group. It has noted that this is a core focus and has committed to improving the service for patients, given its importance.

What I have just read is the contribution prepared on behalf of the Minister. I too am aware of the shortage of an additional eight nurses the Senator mentioned. In Galway, there is a shortage of an additional nine nurses. There is a dearth and deficit, not just in the mid-west or Saolta University Health Care Group but throughout the country. In budget 2022, only 91 nurse specialists were sought for neurology services that support a wide range of patients. Not only do they provide a wide range of patient supports but they are invaluable in preventing emergency department admissions or admissions to beds. Where that specialist care is in place, it can serve a longer-term benefit for the patient by keeping him or her in the community. My ask of the Department of Health and the Minister, on foot of this debate, is that we will make this a priority following budget 2022 and that we will start advertising for posts. While it is fantastic that the consultant posts are being advertised, they will be only as good as the team around them.