Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. Although it is technical in nature, it has generated an interesting discussion on the regulation of health professionals working in the primary care services and acute services.

Only five professions were registered just 12 years ago: doctors, dentists, nurses, opticians and pharmacists. No one will disagree there is a huge need to regulate the increase in other allied health professionals in the health care services, including social workers, physiotherapists, radiographers and so on. I also concur with a lot of the debate about psychotherapists and counselling services. There is a significant need for the Government to step in and regulate this industry. I have met many people with masters' and PhD qualifications and they are outraged to think someone could do a course on the Internet and then set up a private practice. It does a serious disservice to the profession and it puts very vulnerable people into unprofessional hands. Often when people are vulnerable and seeking help, they might be embarrassed to talk to a GP so they might use a search engine to look for a counsellor and there is no regulation of whom they will encounter as a result. Anecdotally, I have been told of organisations that are writing reports for courts on children who have been sexually abused and the reports are being written by people with no qualifications at all. These are the most vulnerable children in Ireland and I will follow up on this with the Minister and those who are dealing with this in the HSE, particularly Gordon Jeyes, because it is alarming to think someone is masquerading as a qualified therapist and engaging in serious intervention with very vulnerable children.

The other issue I wanted to raise is that of rogue crisis pregnancy agencies and their proliferation in the telephone book and on the Internet. Again, a vulnerable group of women who are looking for help might not always be afforded the information they deserve and might find themselves talking to people in a completely unregulated sector in the social care field. There is a great deal of work to be done but it could all be tackled if psychotherapy and counselling services were to go ahead at a further stage.

It is regrettable there are only two professional councils at the moment but this Bill will give the enforcement powers over someone's fitness to practise, which is hugely important, but it also has a major role in education and ongoing professional development, which is vital when we live in a world where things are changing. We want our health professionals to be guided by the best evidence-based practice that is readily available but we must ensure these professionals engage in the educational process so they do not just decide a basic qualification is enough. We must move with the current trends in research to ensure people get the best services they deserve.

Referring to Deputy Coffey's remarks about the more efficient use of services by the HSE, the south east, particularly Waterford Regional Hospital, is a prime example of how allied health professionals are working together to conquer the difficulties in the health services. There are nurse-led clinics and physiotherapy clinics for orthopaedic patients where there are long waiting lists but we are now using the huge educational and professional resources of allied health professionals to assess those on the waiting list to ensure consultant hours are maximised.

These are the kinds of stories one never hears about within the health service. These are the kinds of measures the Croke Park agreement is delivering for people and when such issues are debated, people should remember that.

I will conclude on that note, while reiterating this legislation is welcome, as it moves matters forward. However, a serious conversation is needed on the regulation of psychotherapy and counselling services because some highly vulnerable people access such services, perhaps online or from telephone books. It is very difficult to police them and ensure such people get the service they so badly need and the quality of service they so badly deserve.

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