Mr. Mark Smyth:

Our professional bodies, on behalf of all the health and social care professionals, released a report last week on the HSE's national panel system of recruitment. Among all the HSPCs that responded - more than 1,200 - 92% suggested that the current panel-based system of recruitment was not fit for purpose. Despite the Government over the past ten years noting a recruitment and retention issue in respect of health and social care professionals who are required on the ground to deliver these services, its own method of recruitment is one of the greatest barriers to getting staff in place.

Over many years, I have seen statistics where the HSE talks about recruitment of professionals. They may be approved posts but may not necessarily be in place. Some of the published statistics refer to approved posts but the time it takes to get that person in post is an entirely different matter. We also need to examine, across the whole spectrum of psychology and speech and language and occupational therapy, the breadth of experience and what grade the posts are. We have a grade structure for clinicians on the ground, most of whom are senior. Many of these children and their families require significant expertise among the clinicians to be best supported, but also that is also required to support the staff in order that the staff will not burn out early in their careers. We need to ask difficult questions about posts being created and what level of seniority they are to ensure that the appropriate level of supervision is available within those disciplines to provide the support those families need.