Dr Jennifer Ryan, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and the Principal Investigator on the project explains,

‘This project will identify ways to make the experience of transitioning to adult health services easier for young people with cerebral palsy (CP) in Ireland.

‘We will do this by examining peoples’ experience of the Irish healthcare system, comparing this to international best practice standards for transition care, and working with young people with CP, their families and professionals to co-design useful resources and information to improve transition care in Ireland’.

Mike Walsh, Head of Specialist Services and Research at the Central Remedial Clinic, adds

‘Many people with CP and their families describe it like ‘falling off a cliff’ when they move from children’s to adult services. This research will give us valuable information that can be immediately implemented in clinical practice and services. We want to improve the system so that young people remain connected to the health services that they need, both at this important phase of their lives, and their adult lives in general’.

‘This project addresses a real gap that young people with cerebral palsy face in Ireland. It is great to see that the research team will use international evidence as well as personal experiences to improve information and form a national consensus to make the transition to adult health services easier’, says Dr Darrin Morrissey, Chief Executive at the HRB.

This is one of six new Applied Partnership Award projects that the HRB is supporting. The Applied Partnership Awards are designed to bring knowledge users and academic researchers together to develop research projects that address a specific and short-term need within the Irish health or social care system.