Transforming care for individuals with CP in Ireland
Presenting the Irish cerebral palsy programme.
About the Irish Cerebral Palsy Programme
Launched in 2023, the programme is a five-year national initiative improving care, research, early diagnosis and lifelong support for people living with cerebral palsy (CP) in Ireland. It is the first coordinated national effort to transform care for individuals with CP in Ireland.
The programme is led by three clinical and research centres in University College Cork (UCC), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), the programme brings together hospitals, clinicians, researchers and families across Ireland to improve CP care across the lifespan.
Education & Training
Clinical Care
Research
Policy & Advocacy
Building knowledge & skills across healthcare, education and communities
Delivering and supporting evidence based, best practice care across the lifespan
Generating knowledge to improve care and outcomes
Securing the system-level support required for evidence based best practice care.
Key Achievements
- Launched the ELEVATE Programme achieved €10.6 million in research and other funding, including €5 million from Research Ireland. ELEVATE aims to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of early brain injury and cerebral palsy (CP) in Ireland.
- Established early detection pathways for infants born with high risk of CP, reducing the average age of CP diagnosis, from over 24 months down to 7 months thereby allowing intervention during the critical period of early brain development.
- Recruited approximately 1,000 infants into early detection pathways nationally.
- Commenced development of the first national Irish CP Registry to provide accurate national data on CP prevalence, outcomes and service needs.
- Participated in international clinical trails ensuring that infants and children in Ireland have access to innovative interventions and that Ireland contributes to global advances in CP research.
- Developed programmes supporting adolescents and adults with CP including the Ignition 2 transition programme and CP Excel exercise and education programme.
- Established Cerebral Palsy Ireland, this will provide a national community for individuals with CP and their families. Cerebral Palsy Ireland are currently developing an application to become a nationally recognised charity in Ireland.
- Transitioned the programme to fully Irish led leadership recognising the important role of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation in the programme’s early development.
The Programme’s Goals
- Establish early detection pathways nationwide
- Develop and implement a National Model of care for CP across all six health regions to ensure consistent delivery of evidence based best practice care across the lifespan.
- Establish and maintain a National CP Registry covering individuals with CP across the lifespan
- Expand national capacity for clinical trials and research so that individuals with CP in Ireland can benefit from the latest scientific advances
- Support the continued development of Cerebral Palsy Ireland as a strong national community and advocacy voice.
- Build a national workforce with specialist expertise in CP through education, training and professional networks.
