MS Rehabilitation For Irish Patients.
Intensive inpatient multiple sclerosis rehabilitation at a 287-bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Greece. At least 3 hours of therapy a day, paced around fatigue, and a three-pool hydrotherapy complex. Reimbursed by the HSE.
No referral or paperwork needed for the first call.
MS rehabilitation at Evexia Plus
Evexia Plus is a specialist Rehabilitation Hospital near Thessaloniki, Greece, where people from Ireland come for intensive multiple sclerosis rehabilitation as inpatients. A physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation leads your programme, with a neurologist on the medical team. Therapists and nurses work with you every day, for at least 3 hours of therapy a day, spread out with planned rest. There is no waiting list: admission can be arranged as soon as your medical records are reviewed. Under the EU Cross-Border Healthcare Directive, the cost is reimbursable by the HSE.
- Led by
- A physician in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Therapy
- At least 3 hours a day, goals reviewed weekly
- Where
- Near Thessaloniki, Greece, about four hours' direct flight from Dublin
- Funding
- Reimbursable by the HSE under the EU Cross-Border Directive
- Start
- No waiting list, once your records are reviewed
How multiple sclerosis rehabilitation helps, and what it cannot do
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-term condition in which the immune system damages the protective coating around nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Common effects include fatigue, weakness, stiffness, problems with balance and walking, bladder problems, reduced hand use, and changes in memory and mood. Many people find that heat brings on symptoms for a while.
Some people have relapses, followed by full or partial recovery. Others have progressive MS, where things change gradually. The two often overlap.
Rehabilitation does not cure MS or change its course. It works alongside the treatment your neurologist prescribes, not instead of it. What it can do is help you do more in daily life: move more safely, manage your energy and be more independent. Our programme is inpatient rehabilitation by a coordinated team, for relapsing and progressive MS alike.
How our MS rehabilitation helps
A team programme, led by a physician
A rehabilitation physician leads your team, agrees goals with you on arrival and reviews them with you every week.
Exercise and MS fatigue management
Daily MS physiotherapy builds strength and stamina step by step, and a structured fatigue management programme teaches pacing and energy conservation.
Balance and mobility in MS
Daily physiotherapy for balance, walking and transfers, with heart-rate-monitored treadmill training, robotic gait training or FES where they help you practise more.
Water, planned around heat
Three pools with ramps and hoists. Sessions follow our rules for heat sensitivity and are adjusted to how you feel.
Stiffness, spasms and hand use
Stretching, positioning and standing practice, splints, shockwave therapy and electrical stimulation, with occupational therapy for hand use and a neurology review.
Bladder
If you need it, bladder management is part of your programme, with your symptoms assessed and treated alongside your therapy.
Thinking and mood
Our psychology team assesses thinking and mood when you arrive, then works with you and your family on strategies, mood and adjustment.
Your MS rehabilitation programme
Your rehabilitation physician plans the programme around your goals, leads the team and reviews your progress with you every week. A neurologist on our medical team reviews your MS symptoms. Most people work with several of these services each day:
Physiotherapy and robotics
Strength, balance, walking, stiffness and robotic gait training.
See the service
Occupational therapy
Energy conservation, daily tasks, arm and hand training, and planning for home.
See the service
Hydrotherapy
Therapy in our three-pool complex, following our rules for heat sensitivity.
See the service
Psychology and neuropsychology
Memory, mood and adjustment, for you and your family.
See the service
Speech and swallowing
Assessment, including FEES, and therapy if MS affects your speech or swallowing.
See the service
Neuromodulation
Non-invasive brain stimulation alongside therapy, if your physician recommends it.
See the serviceA typical day, paced around your energy
Sessions are short and spread out, so you reach at least 3 hours of therapy without being worn out. Therapists watch for tiredness and overheating, and the timetable changes with your energy and goals.
Morning
Physiotherapy for balance and walking, then occupational therapy, often when energy is best.
Midday
Lunch served at your bedside, then a planned rest.
Afternoon
A shorter session, such as hydrotherapy, psychology or physiotherapy, depending on your plan.
Evening
Time with your family in the gardens, the lounges or your room.
What to expect during your stay
In the first days, the team assesses you and agrees your goals with you, and with your family if you wish. Realistic goals might be:
Rehabilitation does not cure MS or change its course, and we cannot promise a particular result. Intensive therapy can be tiring, and warmth can bring on temporary symptoms, so the team paces the work and watches how you respond. We review your goals every week and tell you honestly what we see. Gains last longest when you keep active at home, so occupational therapy prepares a plan for home, and we send a full report to your doctor in Ireland.
From the first call to coming home
Most people have never arranged care abroad. This is the whole route, so you know what happens next and who does it.
Before you travel
- 1
Talk to us
Call, send a WhatsApp message or use the form. We explain the Cross-Border Directive and what we need from you.
- 2
Send your records
A recent medical summary or neurologist's letter, your medication list, your MS treatment schedule and any recent scans. Our physician tells you honestly whether a stay is likely to help.
- 3
Referral and estimate
Ask your GP or public hospital consultant for a dated referral letter; we tell you exactly what it should say. We send a written estimate in English before you commit.
Your stay
- 4
Choose your date
There is no waiting list, and if heat affects you, we plan the timing together. You choose the date, and we meet you at Thessaloniki airport.
- 5
Consultation and admission
The outpatient consultation with our physician the day before admission, then your programme starts.
- 6
Your stay
At least 3 hours of therapy a day, paced around your energy, with your goals reviewed every week.
Back home
- 7
Home and your claim
You go home with a plan for home, a full report for your doctor and every document the HSE claim needs.
How the HSE reimburses MS rehabilitation
Multiple sclerosis rehabilitation at Evexia Plus is reimbursable by the HSE under the EU Cross-Border Healthcare Directive. You don't need a medical card or private insurance.
You pay the hospital
You pay Evexia Plus directly for your stay.
You claim from the HSE
With the documents we give you at discharge.
The HSE repays you
What you paid, up to what the same care would cost in the Irish public system.
What the HSE needs
- 01
A referral letter from your GP, or from a hospital consultant who sees you as a public patient.
- 02Our recommendation
An outpatient consultation, in person, dated after the referral. Have it with our physician in Greece the day before admission: one trip, and no wait for a clinic appointment in Ireland.
- 03Optional
Prior Notification gives an indicative figure, not a guarantee, and with current delays the HSE's reply can take months. We usually advise going ahead without it, because the HSE assesses every claim after treatment either way.
Reimbursable
- The inpatient programme (therapy, nursing care and your stay in the hospital)
- Medicines and tests during the stay
- The outpatient consultation at the HSE's rate
Not reimbursable
- Flights and other travel
- Family travel and accommodation outside the hospital
- Medicines you take home
Before you commit, our team sends a written estimate in English. At discharge, we give you every document the claim needs.
Your family can stay with you
One family member can stay with you free of charge, in your room or in nearby accommodation we arrange. More relatives can stay in seaside hotels in Kallikratia, five minutes away, and a free shuttle bus runs to Thessaloniki.
We collect you and your family from Thessaloniki airport, and take you back, at no cost.
Every member of our staff communicates in English, and speech and language therapy and psychology are delivered in fluent English. Meals are cooked on site and planned by a dietician.
See Evexia Plus before you travel.
Photos and reels from the therapy halls and the pools. Follow us for a closer look.
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Questions about multiple sclerosis rehabilitation
Is rehabilitation worth it if my MS is progressive?
Often, yes. Progressive MS rehabilitation does not change the course of the condition, but it can work on everyday activities and independence, such as transfers, walking with an aid and daily tasks. Our physician will tell you honestly what a stay could achieve for you.
How soon can I start rehabilitation after an MS relapse?
Your neurologist should assess a new relapse first. Recovery often continues for some months, and rehabilitation can work alongside your relapse treatment. Once you are medically stable, our physician reviews your records and advises honestly whether now is a good time.
Will intensive therapy wear me out, or bring on a relapse?
Exercise is a normal part of MS care, and the team watches how you respond. Therapy can still be tiring, so MS fatigue management is built in: short sessions with planned rest, adding up to at least 3 hours a day, and a structured programme that teaches pacing to take home.
Is hydrotherapy safe if heat affects my MS?
Heat sensitivity is common in MS. Getting warm can bring on symptoms for a while, but this is temporary and does not cause new damage. Pool sessions follow our rules for heat sensitivity and are adjusted to how you feel. If heat affects you strongly, tell us early so we can plan your stay around it.
Can I come if I use a wheelchair or can't walk far?
Yes. You don't need to be walking, and our physician reviews each person individually. MS physiotherapy starts from where you are: sitting balance, standing, safe transfers, or stepping with robotic gait training and body-weight support. Our pools have ramps and hoists, so you can work on balance and mobility in the water too.
How long does MS rehabilitation take, and will the gains last?
The length of your stay is set by the consultant at your outpatient consultation and reviewed with you every week. The HSE does not limit the number of weeks it reimburses; it caps the rate. Gains last longest when you keep active at home.
I live in Cork, Limerick or Galway. Can I arrange MS rehabilitation from home?
Yes. Nothing about the process depends on where you live in Ireland. You speak to us by phone or WhatsApp, send your records by email and ask your own GP for the referral letter, in Cork, Limerick, Galway, Dublin or Waterford alike. You travel only once, for the stay itself, because the outpatient consultation can take place with our physician in Greece the day before admission.
Does the HSE pay for MS rehabilitation abroad?
Yes, under the EU Cross-Border Healthcare Directive. You pay the hospital directly, then the HSE repays what you paid, up to what the same care would cost in the Irish public system. You need a referral from your GP or a public hospital consultant and an outpatient consultation. Flights and family accommodation outside the hospital are not reimbursable.
Where does the outpatient consultation take place?
You can have it in Ireland with a public hospital consultant, or with our physician in Greece on the day before admission. We recommend the second: you make one trip and avoid waiting for a clinic appointment. Either way, it must take place after the date on your referral letter.
Can my family stay with me?
Yes. One family member stays free of charge, in your room or nearby accommodation we arrange. More relatives can stay in seaside hotels five minutes away, family can visit every day, and airport transfers are free for you and your family. Our psychology team supports family members too.
