ABII CEO and Co-Founder Barbara O’Connell said the level of funding and where it will be applied would be clarified with the HSE and Department of Health in the coming period, but the commitment was a positive development for brain injury survivors and their families.
A statement by the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability Anne Rabbitte said the funding would continue the roll-out of the Neuro Rehabilitation Strategy providing two additional teams, adding to those in CHO 6 and CHO 7.
Minister Rabbitte said: “These teams will serve patients with complex presentations who do not require inpatient facilities and those who need to transition from hospital to home.”
Ms O’Connell said resourcing effective management of acquired brain injury cases in CHO areas has the potential to both improve outcomes for survivors and save cost to the State, as people have access to a rehabilitation pathway and health service resources can be freed up.
However, she said there remains a lot more to be done to meet the needs of so many people with acquired brain injury and their families.