John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 153: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she has received correspondence from a person (details supplied) in relation to the employment for physiotherapists; if she intends to address the issues raised therein; the way in which she intends to proceed with these concerns; if an outcome will be soon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27751/06]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that correspondence has been received in my office from the individual concerned and a reply was issued to indicate that the matter is receiving attention. The correspondence concerned relates to the issue of why student nurses are paid while working on placement in hospitals while student physiotherapists on placement are not.

Students on the four physiotherapy courses provided in our university sector are required to undergo clinical training for a period of 1,000 hours which is equivalent to approximately 26 weeks, delivered in approximately seven clinical sites at different periods over the four years of the degree programme.

I do not accept that the comparison between the clinical training of nurses and physiotherapists in relation to payment is a valid one. Physiotherapy students are supernumerary while on clinical placements (1000 hours) and are not part of the work force. The clinical training component of the nursing degree is 2300 hours (equivalent to 74 weeks) and is laid down by EU Directive. Clinical training for nurses is more than double that of physiotherapists. In addition, it should be noted that the model for the training of physiotherapists in Ireland (including the clinical component) is in line with best practice internationally.

It is important to clarify that student nurses are not paid when on supernumerary clinical placements. A continual rostered placement (internship) takes place towards the end of the nursing degree programme. During this period the student is a paid employee of the health service and receives a salary based on 80% of the staff nurse salary. These students replace staff nurses on an agreed ratio.

A range of measures have been put in place to support the training of physiotherapists in the past number of years including a new physiotherapy course in the University of Limerick which commenced in 2002 with 25 places. Essential to the successful roll-out of these additional training places was the provision of sufficient, quality clinical placements in physiotherapy. Over the last two years, the Department, along with the Health Service Executive, has worked to put in place the enhanced structures necessary to ensure that students have access to a sustainable, high-quality clinical training model. A national implementation group co-chaired by the Department and including representation from the Higher Education Institutes, therapy professional bodies and professional managers, is in place to address the on-going requirements to source clinical placements in the longer term.

A significant level of funding, secured by the Minister for Health and Children, totalling €5.18m (including €2.75m announced in the Budget 2006) has been allocated since 2004 for the development of therapy clinical training.