This week, The Migraine Trust attended the launch of the #FightForNeuro campaign at Stormont, as members of the Northern Ireland Neurological Charities Alliance (NINCA). The event, which was attended by NI Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, highlighted the urgent need to address the gaps in neurological care, following the publication of the Regional Review of Neurology Services Final Report.

At the campaign launch, people with lived experience of various conditions shared honest and heartfelt stories about the realities of living with a neurological condition. The Migraine Trust’s own Senior Digital Officer, Jake Kelly, took to the stage to share his experience of challenges in accessing treatment for migraine, and the toll this has taken on his life.

Reinforcing the perspectives from lived experience experts at the event were stark statistics from Northern Ireland’s MyNeuro survey of neurology patients in Northern Ireland as well as NINCA’s own research, including:

• Only 22% felt supported by the healthcare system—the lowest across the UK
• 76% said they had experienced delays in accessing neurological care
• 92% struggle to do things they enjoy as a result of not getting the care they need for their condition.

What this means for people with migraine in Northern Ireland

These statistics are echoed by recent research from The Migraine Trust: 90% of people with migraine said living with the condition negatively impacts their mental health, and the same proportion felt their ability to work or study is impacted.

Despite the clear ramifications of a system that is not meeting the needs of patients, neurological services in Northern Ireland remain significantly under-funded and under-invested in, in terms of workforce.

Speaking at the event, Northern Ireland Health Minister Mike Nesbitt discussed Department of Health plans to carefully consider funding to implement the Neurology Review, recognising the real-world impacts of failure to provide suitable care.

The #FightForNeuro campaign is calling for appropriate investment in workforce across neurological services in Northern Ireland, as well as appropriate care pathways, to ensure anyone living with neurological conditions in Northern Ireland, including the one in seven with migraine, get the support they need.