Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Cullinane for raising this important matter. I represent south Tipperary which is part of the same hospital group as Waterford and I want to be very fair in acknowledging that huge changes have taken place in the health service in our area. There is no magic wand in relation to funding and the reality is that change has taken place notwithstanding that staff are under a great deal of pressure. People are making the changes and there is no doubt that a better service is being delivered now than was provided some years ago.

The Government is committed to developing therapy services for children with a disability, including speech and language and occupational therapy and psychology services, in so far as possible within available resources. Speech and language therapy services in Waterford are provided by HSE teams in primary care and disability services as well as by the Brothers of Charity and the Central Remedial Clinic's regional service. There are currently 15 approved speech and language therapists in the Waterford service overall with six therapists assigned to primary care services, five to the children's specialist disability services while the remainder look after adults, mental health and other needs. In addition, the Central Remedial Clinic's regional service provides more specialised speech therapy for particular children with physical and sensory disability across the whole south east region. Of the 15 speech and language therapy posts, two are temporarily vacant at present due to maternity leave. Local HSE management has prioritised the filling of these posts but I understand there are difficulties nationally in terms of filling such temporary positions. The Waterford service also includes ten additional occupational therapy posts. Five therapists are assigned to the paediatric disability services, two are working in the Central Remedial Clinic and the remaining three are employed in the CAMHS team. There are two psychology posts in disability services, one of which is on the autism diagnostic team. I understand that this particular post is currently vacant and efforts are ongoing to fill the position. The Senator may wish to note that a number of psychologists are also employed in Waterford's CAMHS and primary care services.

The Senator has also raised the issue of waiting times in Waterford for an assessment of needs. Part 2 of the Disability Act 2005 provides for an assessment of needs to be commenced within three months of receipt of an application and completed within a further three months. The HSE has advised that 28 assessment-of-needs applications under the Act were received in Waterford this year up to the end of June, all of which are being processed at present. A further 28 applications on hand for over six months are currently overdue for completion. While such delays are clearly not desirable, I stress that the assessment process under the Act can take place in parallel with any interventions deemed necessary and guidance to this effect has been issued to front-line staff. I understand that there have been particular delays for children waiting to be assessed for occupational therapy arising from staff vacancies in the occupational therapy service. However, these vacancies have now been filled in respect of services for children aged up to six years of age and for children with autism which should help address this issue. I also understand that 80 children in the Waterford area are currently on the HSE's waiting list for autism assessment or diagnosis. Priority is being given in the first instance to those children who commenced primary school in September 2015 and then to children who will be on the special educational needs organiser list for March 2016. In the meantime, HSE management in the Waterford area has agreed to outsource these assessments to an external provider. A procurement process to provide these services is currently under way and will be finalised shortly. It is expected that assessments will then commence in October 2015.

The HSE is currently involved in a major process of reforming and re-configuring its services for children with disabilities through its progressing disability services for children and young People programme. Additional funding of €4 million has been allocated to the programme this year, equating to 120 new posts, including six additional therapy posts in Waterford. These include two additional speech and language therapists and two additional occupational therapists. Along with the outsourcing of assessments of needs, I am confident that these service reforms when fully implemented will help improve the waiting times which the Senator has highlighted today.