Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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1802. To ask the Minister for Health the steps being taken to ensure adequate step down and rehabilitation services for persons who suffer from stroke upon discharge from inpatient hospital care. [15481/21]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future’, includes a commitment for advancing neuro-rehabilitation services in the community.

The Health Service Executive is leading on the implementation framework in respect of the recommendations of the National Policy and Strategy for the provision of Neuro-Rehabilitation Services in Ireland 2011-2015. The focus of the Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy 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.

The framework will guide the reconfiguration and development of neuro-rehabilitation structures and services at national and local level, through a 10-step Framework. It proposes the formation of Managed Clinical Rehabilitation Networks (MCRNs), with the set-up of one demonstration MCRN suggested as the first step. The ultimate goal of this approach is to put in place a national framework of acute, inpatient and specialist community services.

As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.