Patients at risk as State fails to deliver

THE Health Strategy outlined in 2001 is in tatters. It promised an action plan for rehabilitation and physiotherapy, as well psychological assessment for thousands of people with neurological conditions, but six years later the plan has still not been implemented.

In 2003, Comhairle na nOspidéal, the National Hospital’s Office, recommended that there should be one neurologist per 100,000 people or 42 neurologists for our populations, but there are still only 17 neurologists in the whole country.

Last year, Comhairle na nOspidéal recommended that 16 neurosurgeons were needed nationally, but there are only nine and no new posts have been created in recent years. It is shocking to think that there could be such government ineptitude in a period of unprecedented affluence.