At a meeting of the Oireachtas Health Committee today, which is being addressed by the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, People Before Profit TD and Health spokesperson, Gino Kenny, will call on the government to immediately recruit 100 new neurological nurses.
The TD will say that this is urgently needed to bring the number of neurological nurses up to 142- which is the recommended national number.
The TD will note that 24,000 people are on the public waiting list for neurological outpatient care, 8,600 of whom have been waiting for more than 18 months and that recruitment of additional neurological nurses is required to reduce the current waiting lists.
He will say: “The situation on the ground in our neurological outpatient settings is unacceptable for patients and for staff. The government has sat on their hands while waiting lists for neurological services have skyrocketed.
“I am calling on the government to immediately commence an emergency recruitment campaign to employ 100 new neurological nurses, to bring the number of nurses in the sector up to 142 which is the recommended number nationally.”