Sir, – The increasing evidence of the potentially serious neurological consequences of Covid-19 for some patients is a sobering thought, as highlighted by your own newspaper earlier this month: "Warning of serious brain disorders in people with mild coronavirus symptoms" (News, July 8th).
Ireland’s neurological care services are in crisis, with neurology having some of the longest waiting lists for any speciality pre-Covid.
Neuro-rehabilitation services are completely underdeveloped, a three-year implementation framework published in February 2019 has had no investment to date. The latest blow is the catastrophic impact on public fundraising, which will see many of Ireland’s neurological charities close their doors unless urgent action is taken.
Covid-19 is a wake-up call to the significant deficits in neurological care that for decades have impacted the lives of the 800,000 Irish people living with neurological conditions. – Yours, etc,
MAGDALEN ROGERS,
Executive Director,
Neurological Alliance
of Ireland,
Coleraine House,
Coleraine Street,
Dublin 7.