Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

221. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding support for early carer psychologists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27725/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Report of the Psychology Review Implementation Group in 2017 expanded the care group employment available to counselling and educational psychologists. The report’s recommendation led to the establishment of a Project Team to implement this recommendation.

In February 2019, HSE Community Operations convened a Project Team, chaired by Dr Cathal Morgan, comprised of representatives from Clinical, Counselling and Educational Psychology; Social Care, Disability, and Mental Health services; Community and Acute services; Operational and National HR; and the Health and Social Care Professions office.

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. It is expected that the Report of the Project Team will be finalised in the coming weeks.