AQW 13220/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 11/06/2024
Answered On Date: 25/06/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on the impact the Neurology Active Referral Management system has had on providing timely appointments for the management of headache and migraine since its introduction in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust.

Answer:

The introduction of the Neurology Acute referral Management system (NARMS)in the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust has led to headache referrals being streamlined to advice, investigation or face to face clinic review pathways.

The advice pathway (25-47% of referrals) had a written response with guidance within 48 hours (pre-encompass), investigations (17-20% of referrals) were largely radiological red flag CT performed within a 2-6 week timeframe and clinic appointments (33-47% of referrals) were seen within maximum 12 weeks.

The service has experienced some staffing pressures which has seen an increase in waiting times but these should be addressed later in the summer.