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Services
In-Patients
We have 12 designated beds on St. Vincent’s ward but, because of problems in A&E, it is sometimes difficult to get patients admitted electively. The majority of neurology in-patients are admitted via A&E or via consultations (approximately 15-20 per week- same day service) for other services.
Neurolink
Since March 2006 we have been using 'Neurolink' whereby GPs can email requests via the Healthlink Website to the Consultant Neurologists and receive a reply within 24 hours. This is a bid to try and reduce patient waiting times, reduce administration time and obviate the need in some cases for patient attendance at all.
Out-Patients
The Department sees over 5300 out patients per year. Since September 2010, the Department has expanded to 19 out patient clinics a week. Extra sessions are arranged on Friday mornings for procedures such as lumbar punctures and for administration of complex medications such as IVIg, mitoxantrone, tysabri, steroids etc.
In September 2010 two new Consultants joined the Neurology Department Dr. Christopher McGuigan and Dr. Sean O'Riordan. As part of this expansion we are moving to group practice and people referred to the service will be reviewed by one of the consultants/team and not neccessarily the particular doctor that they were referred to. This is to facilitate shorter waiting times, improve access and to speed up the referral process.
Neurorehabilitation
An MS rehabilitation clinic runs on the third Thursday of every month and a general rehabilitation clinic runs on the first Thursday of each month.
Staff: Drs. Nicola Ryall and Aine Carroll for the National Rehabilitation Hospital (attended also by Registrar and MS Specialist Nurse). Between 5-10 patients are seen in each of these multi-disciplinary clinics.
Stroke Service
The stroke service at SVUH is run by Dr Morgan Crowe, Consultant Care of the Elderly Physician,, along with Drs. Diarmuid O’Shea and Rachel Doyle. The neurology service sees people with stroke aged less than 65 years. The stroke unit has a dedicated stroke registrar and Stroke Specialist Nurse, Imelda Noone.
In-patients waiting time: patients are seen the same day
Out-patients waiting list: patients who have had a stroke are pre booked to a stroke clinic for 6-8 weeks later.
A Neurovascular clinic also runs once a week and there are two slots for CT/carotid duplex each week.
A Stroke Specialist Nurse led TIA clinic also runs once a week.
Headache Clinic
The headache clinic at SVUH is managed by Dr Conor Murphy and runs once a week.
Neurophysiology
Radiology
MRI access is via St. Vincent's University Hospital at present - prioritised pending consultant radiologist approval as category 1 (emergency within 24 hours), 2, 3, 4 ("routine")
For in-patients, waiting times for category 1 is within 24 hours and category 2 is within 1 week.
Waiting list for public out-patient MRI is 24 hours for category 1; 1-2 weeks for category 2, 4-6 weeks for category 3, and 4 months for category 4.
Other Services:
Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)
Staff - one half time SALT 95 sessions
For in-patients - Waiting list: 24-48 hours
For out patients - Waiting list: 6 weeks to 3 months depending on level of priority (Videofluroscopy about 2 months)
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Staff: one half time post
For in-patients - Waiting list: less than 1 week
For out patients - None available
Waiting list: N/A
Physiotherapy:
Staff - one full time Neurology post to cover inpatients 0.6 and 0.4 outpatients
For in-patients - Waiting time: up to 48 hours (Monday to Friday)
For out-patients - Waiting time: 4.5 months
Telephone - 01 221 4467