Increasing the number of nurse specialists in neurology will be a “cost-efficient way” of reducing waiting lists, freeing hospital resources, and ensuring patients in Galway have access to specialist support.
This is the view of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, which this week launched a campaign, Patients Deserve Better, seeking investment to tackle the “serious shortage” of specialist neurology nurses.
Currently, Galway University Hospital has only four specialist neurological nurses, but according to local and international recommendations, it should have 13.
Such specialist nurses provide nurse-led clinics, rapid access clinics, telephone advisory services, and outreach services. According to NIA, they can “significantly improve” the quality of care at lower cost, mainly by preventing “unnecessary admissions”, through advice, information, support, counselling and – with appropriate safeguards – adjustments in medication.
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“There are 800,000 people in Ireland with a neurological condition and they have been historically underserved by the health system,” said Magdalen Rogers, NAI executive director. “We know that 24,000 people are waiting for a neurology outpatient appointment, with 8,601 waiting more than 18 months resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment. Neurology patients deserve better.”
Need for change
At the launch of the campaign on Tuesday, Robert Joyce from Clifden, a patient representative with multiple sclerosis, highlighted the need for the extra nurses in Galway.
“Nurse specialists in neurology can help offer support and reassurance to those who have a diagnosis or are waiting on one,” he said. “There are only four nurse specialists in Galway, and we need 13. That needs to change and it’s up to us – the patients, our families, and the organisations that support us – to make our voices heard by contacting our TDs. Patients deserve better.”
