People in Waterford waiting on a neurological appointment are on significant waiting lists, with 4,000 on a list in Waterford, Cork and Limerick.
This is despite Cork University Hospital listed as one of two designated national neuroscience centres in Ireland.
While waiting lists exist across the country, those in Waterford, Cork, and Limerick are facing additional challenges.
According to a report in the Irish Examiner this morning, April 23rd, hospitals in those three counties do not have specialised, dedicated therapists in the neurological departments.
Those on waiting lists in Waterford include those with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Epilepsy, and Multiple Sclerosis.
Neurological Waiting Lists in UHW
According to the HSE website, the estimated wait times for a first appointment for neurology in University Hospital Waterford is 259 days.
A first appointment is treated as an outpatient appointment, following a referral from a GP.
No information or guidance was available regarding waiting lists beyond this for treatment or in-hospital treatment as a day case.
For people awaiting a first appointment, receiving a diagnosis is often a lengthy wait.
A new report from the Neurological Alliance of Ireland indicates that Waterford is being left behind.
Their findings include:
- Regional Exclusion: The South East is the only region in Ireland where a community neurorehabilitation team has not been funded.
- Waitlists: 1,347 people are currently waiting for neurology care in Waterford.
- Gaps: The hospital has no dedicated physiotherapy, speech therapy, dietetics, or neuropsychology.
- Rehab Crisis: There is no access to inpatient or community neurorehabilitation in the county.
Neurological Care in Dublin vs The Rest of the Country
Studies carried out nationally by the Neurological Alliance of Ireland highlighted areas of clear inequality in the level of care available in hospitals outside of Dublin vs within the capital itself.
10 years ago, the number of people awaiting a first appointment was approximately 12,000 nationally.
Today, that number has doubled to 24,000 with a lack of multi-disciplinary teams available for people to access to be referred to.
Examples of those who form part of a multi-disciplinary team include speech and language therapists, psychologists, neurological dieticians, and medical social workers.
