HSE apologises to neurology patients on lengthy waiting lists in Cork and Kerry

Campaigner Brenda O'Connell at Leinster House last week. Picture: Gareth Chaney

The HSE South-West has apologised to neurology patients on waiting lists and pledged to improve services across Cork and Kerry. 

The apology follows the Neurological Alliance of Ireland's warning of “stark inequalities” between care in Dublin and other parts of the country, and as national waiting lists have doubled in a decade. 

In response, a spokeswoman said: “HSE South-West regrets that any patients are waiting to access neurology services and is actively working to improve neurology services across the region.” 

The Neurological Alliance of Ireland questioned why University Hospital Kerry has a locum neurologist, as the hospital and four other hospitals were funded in 2024 to hire neurologists, but the process was never completed in Kerry.

The HSE did not explain the delay, but said the "recruitment process is under way for the permanent position" and it was “aware of the issues outlined”.

Cork University Hospital remains the only national neuroscience centre outside of Dublin. 

The HSE said the number of examination rooms is to be increased in CUH, and extra consultant-led clinics are now run on Fridays. 

The unit also works with the Mercy University Hospital for electromyography — a diagnostic procedure to detect neuromuscular abnormalities — but the Neurological Alliance of Ireland has highlighted how "routine referral" patients are often waiting over three years for this test.

The Neurological Alliance of Ireland has highlighted how "routine referral" patients are often waiting more than three years for this test.

The HSE South-West region has funding for 12 posts on community neuro-rehabilitation teams, and recruitment has started for neuropsychology, dietetics and rehabilitation medicine on the team based in Mallow and Tralee.

In response, a HSE spokesman said the region’s long-established community team at St Camillus’ Hospital in Limerick has funding for 5.6 full-time posts. 

Recruitment is ongoing, including for one post vacated this month.

Brenda O’Connell, 61, lives with Parkinson’s and is a board member of Parkinson’s Ireland, part of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland.

She supports its call for more services and also wants more awareness among doctors of the conditions.

In 2020, she said: “By September, I started to have problems with balance, literally walking, I was finding very difficult.” 

By 2022, she had “very strong suspicions” she had Parkinson’s but her GP did not agree.

The doctor did some tests but "he just sent me away”, according to Ms O'Connell.

She approached him again six weeks later. He still disagreed but at her request referred her to a private neurologist.

This clinic confirmed the diagnosis in November 2023 after a DaTscan, a specialised nuclear imaging test used to detect Parkinson's disease (PD).

“I felt relieved,” she said.

“It can be tricky to get a diagnosis and a lot of people who find it hard will often say they feel relieved.

“To be honest I thought I was going mad and I was close to a breakdown with anxiety because anxiety is a massive non-motor symptom of Parkinsons.” 

She pointed out “the non-motor symptoms are not really talked about that much” and urged: “I want to raise awareness of that because of a lot of us struggle with that.”