45 Neuro-Rehab Beds Needed In The Midlands

Monday, 28 July 2025 15:35

58% of people in the region haven't been able to access neuro-rehab services in the past 12 months.

The Neurological Alliance of Ireland wants the Health Department to provide new neuro-rehab beds to address a shortfall across the midlands.

A recent survey shows a quarter of patients with a neurological condition have never been able to access rehabilitation, while 58% of people in the region haven't been able to access neuro-rehab services in the past 12 months.

The group believes a total of 45 beds are needed immediately.

Offaly's Anne Marie Leonard and the Neurological Alliance Ireland marked this year’s World Brain Day at an event in Peamount Healthcare Dublin, where they highlighted to attending Ministers and TDs that Ireland has less than half of the neurorehabilitation beds needed for its population.

The 37-year-old from Edenderry was working as a carer when she started experiencing symptoms in 2023. She underwent rehabilitation for an unexplained condition at Peamount Healthcare in 2023.

Speaking at the event, she said: "Without Peamount I’d still be in a wheelchair and probably in a nursing home, because I needed so much support to even have a shower. Learning to do everyday tasks again was so challenging; after being at Peamount for a while, a member of staff brought me to a kitchen to make scrambled eggs - a task that might have taken 30 seconds before I got ill - it took 30 minutes, but I did it and with their help I continued to improve.

"Life is different now, but the genuine friends and family members in my life stuck by me and kept me buoyed up. While I was in hospital my best friend had a baby, Fionn, and she and I joked that it was a competition to see which of us would walk first!

"I’m so grateful to the team at Peamount Healthcare for their continued support, and I’m thankful I can come here and tell everyone the difference the neurorehabilitation bed made to me and my story.”

Forty neurological charities came together at the event to call on the Government to deliver on its Programme for Government pledges to neurorehabilitation in the upcoming Budget.