Jan O'Sullivan
Ceist:68 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will provide details of the number of people who suffer from brain injuries; and the specialist rehabilitation services which are available to them. [10252/98]
Written Answers. - Head Injuries.
In a recent report, the National Rehabilitation Board stated that accurate figures for the Republic of Ireland are not available but it is estimated that the annual number of patients with head injury is of the order of 13,440, constituting about 25 per cent of all trauma cases admitted to hospitals.
The report adds that this does not include the much larger number of patients who have suffered mild to moderate head injury, apparently not requiring referral to specialised centres but who suffer significant consequent neuropsychiatric disability.
The brain injury rehabilitation service has its major components in the neurosurgical-neurological services, the receiving hospitals throughout Ireland, the National Rehabilitation Hospital and the community care system.