Written answers

Thursday, 2 December 2021

Photo of Pauline TullyPauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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214. To ask the Minister for Health the actions he has taken to develop a workforce plan for psychology and a National Psychology Placement Office in line with the recommendations of the National Health and Social Care Professions Office in the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59632/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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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.

The Report of the National Psychology Project Team – Establishment of a National Psychology Placement Office and Workforce Planning was completed in January 2021.  The Report contains a plan to address a range of matters in relation to psychology through establishment of a placement office and workforce planning. Implementation of the report’s recommendations and the creation of a National Psychology Placement Office are a matter for the HSE to prioritise in the context of available resources.

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