The Neurological Alliance Australia (NAA) has welcomed the release of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) Neurological Conditions in Australia report today, describing it as an essential first step toward improving outcomes for the millions of Australians living with neurological conditions.
The report provides Australia’s first national snapshot of the burden, prevalence, health service use and costs associated with neurological conditions.
Rohan Greenland, Chair of the NAA commended Minister Mark Butler, the Australian Government and the AIHW for prioritising this long-overdue work.
“You can only improve what you can measure, and this report finally gives Australia a foundation to build from,” Mr Greenland said.
Mr Greenland says that while Australia boasts incredibly detailed and complex data for other major disease groups, but precious little in the neurological space.
“This long-overdue work begins to fill an important gap in neurological data.
“Today marks the beginning of the long-term effort required to build a clearer national picture,” Mr Greenland said.
While the report identifies more than 2.2 million Australians with long-term neurological conditions, the NAA emphasises that the true neurological burden is significantly larger.
The Alliance estimates that around 7 million Australians, or one in four people, live with a neurological condition. This aligns closely with the World Health Organization’s global estimate that one in three people worldwide will experience a neurological condition in their lifetime, reinforcing the importance of Australia aligning its data collection with global standards as this work evolves.
“This is why continued and expanded data collection is essential,” said Anne Wilson, Deputy Chair of the NAA.
“If we want better services, better treatments and better support, we need a sustained and ongoing commitment to building the evidence base, including addressing gaps for specific populations such as First Nations people. This report must be the starting point, not the end point.”
Mr Greenland says ongoing national monitoring will help governments, clinicians, researchers and advocates design more coordinated and effective approaches across health, disability and aged care systems.
“This report strengthens the case for developing and implementing the National Action Plan for Neurological Conditions. We have provided government with the blueprint for that plan and now need a clear commitment to deliver it,” Mr Greenland said.
The Alliance noted that many small neurological organisations have been forced to invest scarce funds to estimate prevalence in the absence of national data, and that a robust national system will help reduce this burden while improving the evidence base.
The Alliance also welcomed the commitment to refine and expand future neurological data releases to better capture the scale and diversity of neurological conditions.
“Regular and detailed reporting is how we track progress, close equity gaps and ensure accountability,” Ms Wilson said.
“A long-term national neurological monitoring system is essential if Australia is to meet the needs of its growing neurological community.”
The NAA represents over 40 peak bodies advocating for improved outcomes for Australians living with neurological and neuromuscular conditions.