What we’re doing about neurological conditions

What are neurological conditions?

Neurological conditions affect the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves that connect them. There are more than 600 diseases of the nervous system. Examples of neurological conditions are:

• brain cancer
• cerebral palsy
• dementia
• epilepsy
• motor neurone disease
• multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Parkinson’s disease
• spinal conditions
• spinal muscular atrophy
• stroke
• ​​​Tourette syndrome
• traumatic brain injury

See healthdirect for more information about neurological conditions.

What are we doing about neurological conditions?

We address neurological conditions nationally. Several programs and initiatives support treatment and management of these conditions.

• The Medicare Benefits Schedule helps pay for patient care, including Chronic Disease Management plans.
• The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme helps pay for medicines for neurological conditions.
• The Medical Research Future Fund and the National Health and Medical Research Council fund medical research into neurological conditions, including:
  • $2 million to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation to prevent and better treat cerebral palsy
  • $36.8 million for Parkinson’s disease medical research through the Garvan Institute’s Australian Parkinson Mission
  • funding for Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia, which carries out MS research as part of the worldwide effort to solve MS
  • the Ageing, Aged Care and Dementia Mission
  • the Traumatic Brain Injury Mission
  • the Stem Cell Therapies Mission
  • the Australian Brain Cancer Mission
• We provided $20 million towards the Epilepsy Smart Australia program pilot, which aims to reduce chronic health problems experienced by those who have epilepsy.
• We are providing almost $1.5 million over 3 years (2018–19 to 2020–21) to Epilepsy Action Australia for the Epilepsy Action Response Service to improve health outcomes for Australians affected by epilepsy.
• The Australian Government currently provides funding ($195,000 over 3 years from 2018–19 to 2020–21) to the Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia for the National Camp program.

See more chronic conditions resources.