At the outset I wish to thank you for allowing me to raise this matter. I thank the Minister for Health for turning up in person to reply to this debate. In light of the fact that the Minister, who is now leaving the House, has delivered bad news on two occasions I hope this is a case of third time lucky. Knowing the competition that exists in Wexford I am sure the Minister will not pass up the opportunity to deliver some good news.
Clinical psychologist is a term that almost inspires awe in the outside world. The public at large believe that these people are in the high echelons of earning, but the reality is much different. I am sure the Minister is aware that the starting salary of clinical psychologists, at less than £15,000, is very poor in light of the work they carry out.
The clinical psychologists in the health service play an enormously important role. They deal with patients suffering from emotional and behavioural problems. They deal directly with the victims of child sexual abuse. They are closely involved in the area of custody and access provisions for parents where marriages have broken down. They are involved in counselling children suffering from trauma, which often manifests itself in bed wetting and soiling. They are also involved in psychiatric assessments.
It is clear, therefore, from the job description that these people perform a highly skilled job which, for various reasons including family breakdown and increasing levels of child sexual abuse, is in increasing demand in society. Unfortunately, the Department of Health and the Minister, as their employer, and all of the health boards throughout the country have failed miserably to recognise the importance of this service and the value for money which it provides. They have been in breach of agreed pay provisions for almost seven years.
The reality now is that clinical psychologists working in the national health service are entitled to a 31 per cent pay increase in order to bring them in line with similarly qualified persons working in the Civil Service, particularly in the Departments of Education and Justice. In this case there is a breach of Government policy, which aspires to comparable salaries in all Departments. There is discrimination against psychologists working in the health service, the most sensitive area in which that work is carried out.
The consequences of the failure of the Department of Health to meet its obligations in this area manifest themselves in many ways, all of which affect the quality and quantity of service delivered. For example with current salaries arbitrarily held substantially below their agreed level our health services find it increasingly difficult to recruit, or indeed retain, staff. This is because of a marked brain-drain to Britain and elsewhere, as well as to other branches of the profession. On 1 June 1993, 40 per cent of psychologist posts in the department of psychology in the Eastern Health Board were vacant.
The availability of psychological services to those in need is at crisis point. In many areas there are long waiting times for the public to see a psychologist, sometimes up to 18 months or more. In other areas, there is no service.
The psychologists working in our health services are over-stretched, under-resourced and working for less than three quarters of their agreed pay. They have been deprived of their agreed salary for over seven years. In recent times this House and the wider community were appalled by the circumstances of the Kilkenny incest case. We were impressed by the Minister's swift and efficient response to that case, if somewhat disappointed with the financial response. Clinical psychologists deal with cases similar to the Kilkenny case on a daily basis. They are directly charged with assessment, counselling and recovery of such victims. Yet, we fail to pay them the going rate and we pass the buck instead of facing up to our responsibility.
Five million pounds was available in the immediate aftermath of the Kilkenny case and a further £1 million pounds would resolve this issue, restore goodwill and recognise a job well done. The 200 staff directly involved, have waited long enough and can wait no longer. I fear further buck passing will inevitably lead to strike action — which none of us wants — in this very valuable sector.
It is not acceptable for the Minister to pass the buck to the Minister for Finance as the Minister for Health is the employer of clinical psychologists. Neither will it suffice to submit this claim to the Programme for Economic and Social Progress restrictions because it predates it. We want political recognition by the Minister of his responsibility in this area and a commitment to lobby the Minister for Finance to provide immediate resolution of the problem.
