Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
733 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children when the post of a full-time neurophysiologist at Beaumont, the national centre, will be sanctioned; the action being taken following the review of the Comhairle na nOspidéal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21268/04]
View answerThe Eastern Regional Health Authority is charged with responsibility for commissioning health and personal social services on behalf of the population of the region, and also on behalf of those outside the region who are referred for specialist treatment, and services at Beaumont Hospital are provided under an arrangement with the authority. My Department has, therefore, asked the regional chief executive of the authority to investigate the issue raised by the Deputy in relation to the neurophysiologist post and to reply to her directly.
The Deputy will be aware that the Comhairle na nOspidéal report on neurology and neurophysiology services recommended significant enhancement of neurology and neurophysiology services, including increases in consultant manpower. The Comhairle report also recognises that there are aspects of a number of other specialities and services, such as rehabilitation medicine, geriatric medicine and old age psychiatry, which are related to and overlap with neurology services. Comhairle has recommended that a national multi-disciplinary review of rehabilitation services be undertaken to further inform the policy framework in relation to the development of neurology services. Consistent with this recommendation, and in line with commitments in the national health strategy, a national action plan for rehabilitation services is currently being prepared by my Department. The action plan will set out a programme to meet existing shortfalls in services and to integrate specialised facilities with locally based follow-up services. The rehabilitation action plan, together with the Comhairle report and the work undertaken by the Neurological Alliance of Ireland through its own publications will, in my view, offer a comprehensive policy framework for the future development of neurology and neurophysiology services in this country.
My Department will continue to work closely with the alliance and with the Irish Consultant Neurologists Association in relation to the future development of services. The implementation of the Comhairle recommendations will be progressed having regard to the evolving policy framework in this area, competing funding priorities and the report of the national task force on medical staffing.
