A Consultant Neurologist at the region’s main hospital says investment is needed to tackle what’s been described as a serious shortage of nurse specialists.
It comes as the NAI has launched it’s Patients Deserve Better campaign, which focuses on local and international recommendations that University Hospital Limerick needs eleven nurse specialists in neurology, but only employs three.
The UL Hospitals Group says that addressing any deficits is a priority for the group and that a recruitment campaign is underway for two additional Consultant Neurologist posts, with interviews for the posts to take place this month.
They also say the two specialist nurses in neurology are supported by a total of nine nursing staff, providing services across a range of specialities.
Consultant Neurologist at University Hospital Limerick, Dr Peter Boers says hospitalisations can often be avoided with the intervention of specialist nurses.
Statement from the UL Hospitals Group
The deficits in UL Hospitals Group’s Neurology Service identified by Dr Peter Boers and the Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI) are acknowledged, and addressing any deficits is a priority for the Group.
To this end, in 2021 the Group has been approved, and a recruitment campaign held, for two additional Consultant Neurologist posts for the service. Interviews for these posts are scheduled for October 28th, and we hope to fill both vacancies from this campaign.
The two specialist nurses in neurology are supported by a total of nine nursing staff, providing services in Parkinson’s (two Clinical Nurse Specialists [CNS] and one Clinical Nurse Manager [CNM2]); Epilepsy (one CNS and one Staff Nurse); Multiple Sclerosis (one CNS); and a Stroke Service that is staffed by one Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP); one CNS and one CNM2.
Our neurology service works hand in glove with the designated Stroke/Neurology ward in UHL, where all staff are trained to care for neurology patients in a multidisciplinary approach that also incorporates Allied Health (physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy).
