Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Currie for giving me the opportunity to update the House on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, on this important matter and to acknowledge the enormous contribution made by psychologists in Irish hospitals, especially in these challenging times in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Department engages on an ongoing basis with the HSE with regard to improving the position of all healthcare workers and trainees, but it must be noted that it is the Psychological Society of Ireland, not the Department of Health, which currently sets the academic and professional requirements to attain the status of professionally qualified psychologist in clinical, counselling and educational psychology.

In February 2019, HSE community operations convened a project team, chaired by Dr. Cathal Morgan, to consider the preparation of a workforce plan for psychological services in the HSE, including an examination of the current framework for training psychologists for the health service and the type and skill mix required for the future. The project team was tasked with, inter alia, considering the preparation of a workforce plan for psychological services in the HSE, including an examination of the current framework for training psychologists for the health service and the type and skill mix required for the future. The work of the project team has been informed by a thorough stakeholder consultation process but, unfortunately, due to the recent public health emergency the work of the project team was paused in March 2020 and reconvened in early August 2020. It is expected that the report of the project team will be finalised in the coming weeks for presentation to HSE community operations for consideration.The HSE has indicated that the report will set out the significance of establishing governance and oversight structures; developing a formal and robust system to manage and co-ordinate placements for staff that wish to complete additional placements, either as part of professional development and-or to meet the identified eligibility criteria for employment in the HSE; building communications and engagement processes with cross-sectoral stakeholders; and a review of the current funding model to ensure the appropriate supply of the future psychologist workforce. The Senator will be happy to note that a review of the current funding model to ensure the appropriate supply of the future psychologist workforce is envisaged by the project team.

Underlining the Government's commitment to mental health, budget 2021 saw an increase of €50 million, bringing the total budget to over €1.1 billion, of which €23 million is for implementation of many of the short-term recommendations of Sharing the Vision. This will fund 153 new staff in community mental health services, including 29 posts for child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, and telehealth hubs, bereavement counselling, employment supports, crisis resolution teams and development of the national clinical programmes. Some €15 million in once-off funding will address the additional challenges posed by Covid-19.

In 2018, 114 new assistant psychologists and 20 psychologists were recruited to HSE primary care and this has helped relieve pressures and inappropriate referrals to the specialist CAMHS service. There is currently significant health workforce recruitment under way in the HSE. At the end of March 2021, health service employment levels stood at 128,283 whole-time equivalents.

While it is a matter for the HSE at operational level to determine the level of recruitment required across staff categories, given the level of workforce expansion required it is likely there will be additional posts available for professionally trained psychologists.