Ep87 Neurological Care in Australia: What the Survey Reveals

<p>Australia’s first <a href="https://neurologicalalliance.org.au/naa-survey/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">national survey of people affected by neurological conditions</a> has revealed a <a href="https://neurologicalalliance.org.au/first-ever-national-neurological-survey-reveals-australians-facing-widespread-barriers-to-care/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">clear and urgent message</a>: too many Australians are navigating complex, fragmented systems without the timely, coordinated and affordable care they need.</p><p>In this episode of The Raw Nerve, we explore findings from the inaugural <a href="https://neurologicalalliance.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Neurological Alliance Australia</a> <a href="https://neurologicalalliance.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Neuro-Service-Gaps-and-Innovation-Survey-Report-Aug-2026.pdf" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Neuro Survey</a>, which gathered experiences from 3,805 Australians affected by neurological conditions. The results paint a stark picture: fewer than four in ten respondents described their care as coordinated, more than half had difficulty accessing neurological care, one in three waited more than four years for a diagnosis, almost half delayed or skipped healthcare because of cost, and just one in ten felt fully supported by their healthcare team.</p><p>Recorded at the NAA Neuro Summit at Parliament House in Canberra, this conversation brings together survey evidence, lived experience, clinical insight, research, workforce priorities and policy discussion shaping the case for change. Summit themes include earlier diagnosis and specialist care, coordinated models across health, disability and aged care, investment in neurological research, a stronger neurological workforce, better national data, and equitable access to care regardless of where someone lives.</p><p>We hear why these gaps matter for people living with progressive, fluctuating and complex neurological conditions, and why delays in diagnosis, specialist access, treatment and support can affect health, independence, employment, family life and future care needs. The episode reflects lived experience, including the challenge of managing appointments, specialists, tests, treatments and out-of-pocket costs while often being left to coordinate care alone.</p><p>At its heart, the episode asks what needs to happen next — and how governments, clinicians, researchers, advocates and peopl