Debate contribution: Neurology Services

Debate contribution by Mrs Linda Dillon on 9 December 2025.

MLA

Mrs Linda Dillon

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

9 December 2025

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Neurology Services

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5296313

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I support of the motion and the amendment, because the crisis in neurology services in the North is not abstract or distant, and it is not something that can be ignored. These experiences are being lived every day by thousands of people who are living with Parkinson's, MS, epilepsy, stroke, brain injury and many other conditions and who are having to navigate a system that is fragmented, overstretched and incapable of meeting their needs. The Department's review and the experiences that have been shared through the FightForNeuro campaign paint a picture of delay, deterioration and distress that no person should have to face. Sinn Féin is clear that the waiting times are unacceptably long, that capacity is far below what is needed and that the absence of consistent services across trusts is leading to inequity and unnecessary suffering. When a person has to wait for five years for a first neurology appointment or cannot access the neuro-rehabilitation or psychological support that they desperately need, it is not simply a health service issue. It becomes a crisis that affects their family life, employment, mental well-being and independence. Carers are exhausted and unsupported, and clinicians are working in impossible conditions, and they have outlined that they feel moral injury as a result of not being able to do the best for the people whom they serve. I have spoken to many in the allied health professions who are clear that if people who are impacted on by neurological disorders were to get the early intervention and support that should be available to them, they would have a better quality of life, improved mobility and independence and, in some cases, the ability to continue to work. We were given clear indications of that. We heard stories of people's lived experiences of being able to return to work when they got the interventions that they required. The fact that three quarters of people surveyed experienced delays that actively worsened their health is not only a cause for shame but represents a significant cost to our health services and economy. The reality is that many are forced into private care because the system cannot meet the demand. That is an absolute disgrace. People are using their benefits, such as the personal independence payment (PIP), to access private care and treatments, leaving themselves in financial hardship. We know that, due to mobility issues, they may need additional heating and support, but they cannot afford that because they are using the money for private care. I will also speak about the all-island dimension of the crisis, because that is a vital part of the solution. The North does not exist in isolation. Neurology is a highly specialised field, the population here is small, and the expertise required for many neurological conditions is concentrated in a handful of centres across the island. The development of all-Ireland pathways is a practical, urgent and clinically sensible approach to ensure that people, especially in rural and border communities, get timely diagnosis and treatment. We have long argued for cross-border collaboration, and we welcome the review's recognition that some services will only ever be sustainable on an all-Ireland-wide basis. It is common sense, and it is on page 75 of the ‘Regional Review of Neurology Services’ in section 5, "NEXT STEPS". Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the kind of life-changing treatment that can dramatically improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease. The establishment of an all-Ireland DBS service, with neurology services in the South working closely with neurosurgery in the Royal Victoria Hospital, would mean that people from Donegal to Fermanagh and from Tyrone to Monaghan could access specialist care without navigating fragmented pathways or waiting years for treatment. The same is true for rare neurological conditions, where expertise may exist only in Dublin or Belfast. Rural patients, in particular, stand to benefit. Too many people in the west, in border counties and in rural regions are disadvantaged by geography. An all-island framework would allow the closest and most appropriate centre, North or South, to become the default option. It would mean bringing services closer to people instead of forcing people to travel. At the heart of my speech and the motion is a simple truth: people cannot wait any longer. Seven years after the review began, the Minister must now publish and fund an implementation plan that matches the urgency of the need. The Department estimates that £65 million will be required in the first five years, and that investment is not optional; it is essential if we are to rebuild trust, cut waiting lists and improve outcomes. We fully endorse the FightForNeuro campaign, because it amplifies the voices of those who are living with neurological conditions, and they can no longer be ignored. On that basis, we support the motion and the amendment.

806 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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