To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to detail any plans or proposals his Department has to invest in local outpatient neurology services.

The Health and Social Care (HSC) Board is working with a Neurology Modernisation Steering Group, involving the Public Health Agency, HSC Trusts, senior clinicians and the chair of the Service User Reference Group, to develop actions to make more effective use of the resources already invested and ensure that any future investment is cost-effective. In the past year: the Western and Belfast Trusts have each appointed an additional Consultant; a further Consultant post is funded for the Northern Trust but remains vacant as recruitment has proved unsuccessful to date; and, an additional Nurse Specialist is also funded in the Western Trust and is being recruited at present.