Neurological Alliance Uses Milestone Birthday To Call For Government Action Before It’s Too Late

The Neurological Alliance is celebrating 25 years since its establishment – and its 20 member organisations are using this milestone birthday to call for government action on neurological conditions that cost New Zealand billions of dollars every year.

The Neurological Alliance advocates for better outcomes for people affected by neurological conditions, which impact 1 in 3 Kiwis and are the cause of death for 1 in 5 New Zealanders.

“Neurological conditions are one of the biggest threats to our health in New Zealand,” says Neurological Alliance Chair, Rich Easton. “The number of people affected is rapidly increasing–yet there are significant workforce shortages, delayed diagnoses and limited treatment options, and community services are that are underfunded. If we don’t do anything, things will only get worse.”

In New Zealand, neurological conditions are rapidly increasing as the population grows and ages. Yet workforce shortages and underfunded services mean there are significant delays in diagnosis and accessing treatment. The Alliance says this is creating a significant burden on health and disability services. More importantly, if left unchecked, this will cause serious social and economic harm.

“There is no reliable data to fully quantify the burden of neurological disease,” says Easton, who is also CEO of the Neurological Foundation. “Dementia alone is estimated to have cost the country $2.5bn in 2020, with this figure set to increase to $6bn by 2050. Likewise, in 2020 the economic cost of stroke was estimated at $1.1bn, rising to $1.7bn by 2038. When you add together all the other neurological conditions, the total economic cost is in the tens of billions of dollars, and it is unknown how big this cost could get.”

This is why the Alliance is asking the government to address health workforce shortages, increase funding for pharmaceutical treatment and community-based care and support services, and improve data collection on neurological conditions. Easton says addressing these system issues will help reduce the burden of disease caused by neurological conditions and improve the economic, social and physical health of 1 in 3 New Zealanders.

“We want to work with the government to address the huge burden of neurological conditions,” says Easton. “If we do nothing, future healthcare costs are going to skyrocket. The time for the government to act is now.”

About the Neurological Alliance

The Neurological Alliance is a collaborative group of organisations who represent neurological conditions, sharing knowledge and expertise, and representing a collective voice on matters of shared interest. The Alliance currently has 20 member organisations:

• Alzheimer's New Zealand
• Associated NZ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Society Inc
• Brain Injury Association of New Zealand
• Brain Tumour Support NZ
• CANN Charitable Trust
• Cerebral Palsy Society
• Dementia New Zealand
• Dyspraxia Support Group of NZ Inc
• Epilepsy New Zealand
• Guillain – Barre Syndrome Support Group of NZ
• Huntington’s Association of New Zealand
• Migraine Foundation Aotearoa
• Motor Neurone Disease New Zealand
• Multiple Sclerosis Society of New Zealand
• Neurological Foundation of New Zealand
• Rare Disorders New Zealand
• Parkinsons New Zealand
• Stroke Aotearoa New Zealand
• Tourette’s Association of New Zealand
• Tuberous Sclerosis Complex New Zealand

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