Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

279. To ask the Minister for Health the pathways that are open to health professionals to train and specialise in child and youth mental health; if he will outline the list of courses in tabular form; if he will list the professions working within this area; if he will outline any future plans for these courses given the extension of CAMHS for up to 25-year-olds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22295/23]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department is committed to ensuring that there is an adequate number of health and social care professionals to meet demand within the health service. 

As part of this commitment, Health officials engage on an ongoing basis with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that we train enough graduates with the skills necessary to support the delivery of health and social care services and to develop a strategic approach to workforce planning for the health sector.

Recent data shows a consistent increase in students graduating as both undergraduate and postgraduate in medicine, pharmacy and nursing and midwifery between 2014 and 2020. Work is ongoing to add more educational places to expand the workforce to the largest extent possible.

Data from Health in Ireland Key Trends 2022 (DOH 2022) shows that students graduating as both undergraduate and postgraduate in medicine, pharmacy and nursing and midwifery increased consistently between 2014 and 2020, with the total number of students graduating increasing by 30% (from 4,841 to 6,264).

Workforce planning for Mental Health Services is informed by “Sharing the Vision - A Mental Health Policy for Everyone” which outlines the vision for specialist mental health and community-based services.

As the remainder part of this question is a service matter regarding specific training pathways, I am referring it to the HSE for direct reply.