The great shortage of Neurologists in Ireland

Presently I’m in a private hospital awaiting the attendance of a visiting Consultant Neurologist as there is no resident one in the hospital. I presented at the ED after a particularly bad fall, having had rapidly increasing mobility issues. They told me whilst there was no longer a resident neurologist, that I should be admitted as I was quite unwell and that they would call one in after running scans, bloods, etc. I’ve been told by General Medicine Professor that it is pointing to an autoimmune attack on my nervous system.

I was out off going near a public ED because of the reports I’ve been hearing about, and quite frankly the hospital I’m in is a really nice friendly and calm place to be in if one must be laid up. My environment is helping me keep up my spirits, though I would like to get on towards a diagnosis and management.

I know there has been a great shortage of neurologists and lack of neurology services in Ireland, and apparently we are bottom of the class in Europe. I’ve heard that although public neurology services are thin in the ground, that the availability of neurologists in private health care is even worse.

Apart from the years or months long wait to see one in an outpatient setting, had anyone experienced such delay in seeing a neurologist in an in-patient setting, public or private?

At long last I was seen to by a visiting neurologist, and what a extremely warm & compassionate lady she is. But she is evidently run off her feet.