AQW 49188/22-27

Ms Sian Mulholland
Alliance Party
North Antrim

Tabled Date: 19/06/2026
Answered On Date: 22/07/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any action his Department is taking to increase access to Epilepsy Specialist Nurses across all Health and Social Care Trust areas.

Answer:

My Department’s Regional Review of Neurology report acknowledges the importance of timely access to specialist care for people with a neurological condition. In this context, the report proposes a specific recommendation for the development of Specialist Clinics for the most common conditions including epilepsy in each Trust area.

Initial work has also been undertaken during the Review to develop draft conditionspecific pathways, including an epilepsy pathway. It is intended that this approach will ensure care is consistent, coordinated, equitable and personcentred, ultimately reducing variation and improving outcomes for people with epilepsy. The Review report recommends the finalisation of these pathways within the first two years of implementation.

In addition, my Department is working to bring system-wide solutions to challenges within Neurology services. In this context funding was secured in 2024/25 for two Epilepsy Nurse Specialists, in Belfast and South Eastern Trusts. Last year in 2025/26 another Epilepsy Nurse Specialist was funded for Northern Trust.

Further progress on implementing the report recommendations will be dependent on securing additional investment and expanding the neurology workforce, which will be challenging given existing budgetary and resourcing challenges.