We are pleased to be supporting the My Neurology Nurse and Me campaign, which is being launched by our colleagues in the Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI) to coincide with this year’s Brain Awareness Week (16th – 22nd March).
The NAI is the national umbrella group representing nearly 40 neurological charities across Ireland, and Epilepsy Ireland is a proud member of the NAI.
The new campaign aims to highlight the important role of neurology nurses across Ireland – and hopes to ensure that their work is understood by the wider public, healthcare community and crucially, policy makers.
Epilepsy Ireland regularly works alongside Epilepsy Nurse Specialists across the country, and we know first-hand the positive impact they have in helping people with epilepsy navigate their journey with the condition. However, we also know how services are under resourced and that nurses are working under extreme pressure, with demands often far outweighing resources available.
We know this can lead to frustration for people with epilepsy and their families, which is why one of our key ongoing advocacy priorities is to improve epilepsy infrastructure and services. A key aspect in delivering this will be securing extra resourcing and additional Epilepsy Nurse Specialists, to relieve pressure on existing services and ensure people with epilepsy have better access to vital supports and expertise.
An added impetus for action in this area is Ireland's commitment to the World Health Organisation's Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and other Neurological Conditions - which calls on countries to "Provide effective, timely and responsive diagnosis, treatment and care." Increased investment and support for Epilepsy and neurology nurses will play a vital role in ensuring the implementation of this strategic objective by 2030.
With more than 45,000 people living with epilepsy across Ireland – and a total of 860,000 people living with neurological conditions – we hope this new campaign will help raise awareness of the vital work being undertaken by neurology nurse specialists.
You can find more information on this new campaign and how to support it by visiting the ‘NAI’ website.
The official launch of the campaign will also take place online via Zoom, and you can register via the button below:
Register now on the NAI’s zoom page
We look forward to supporting this campaign and would encourage you to support in any way you can by sharing the NAI’s campaign materials or the positive impact your nurse has had on your journey with epilepsy. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our nursing colleagues for their continued support for and assistance with our work across Ireland.
If you need any information or support on your or your loved one’s journey with epilepsy, please do not hesitate to contact your local Community Resource Officer. Visit the ‘Our Local Service’ page on our website for their details.