James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 289: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the progress made in relation to the Programme for Government commitment to increase the supply of professionals needed to develop new services for persons with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26809/08]

John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Programme for Government proposes increasing the supply of professionals to meet its ambitious plans to develop new services for persons with disabilities.

There has been significant investment in therapy services over the last number of years. A particular priority for the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Education and Science in recent years has been the expansion of the supply of therapy graduates. Training places for Therapists have increased since 2002. The percentage increase in the number of training places for therapy professions since 2002 are highlighted in the table:

The Department of Health and Children has worked closely with the Health Service Executive (HSE) in the provision of clinical placements for these students; an essential component of the therapy degree programmes. The growth in the numbers of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and dietetics since 1997 is outlined in the table:

A national therapy project office has been set up by the HSE to oversee the recruitment of competent staff in line with the HSE Transformation Programme and HSE Corporate policy. A national recruitment process has been organised in 2008 for staff grade therapists in Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapy.

The aim of this national recruitment process is to ensure that panels of therapists are available to take up positions as they become available. Panels of Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapy and Speech and Language Therapists are now in place.

As the Deputy will be aware, the commencement of the planned developments in disability services this year had been delayed due to a financial review in the HSE. However, I am pleased to be able to inform the Deputy that the HSE has assured me that it is now in a position to roll out the planned developments as outlined in its 2008 Service Plan.

Planned services include additional residential, day care — including training places — and respite care places for people with intellectual disability and autism; additional residential care and home support services for people with physical and sensory disabilities; and additional multi-disciplinary therapy posts to provide assessment and ongoing intervention services to children with a disability.