Vol. 530 No. 3
181 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of vacant posts for speech therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and clinical psychologists in each community care area in the North Eastern Health Board; the efforts being made to fill these posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3918/01]
I have asked the chief executive officer of the North Eastern Health Board to supply the information requested, on the number of vacant posts for speech therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and clinical psychologists in each community care area within the board, directly to the Deputy. On the wider issue of vacancies in the therapy grades, my Department engaged Dr. Peter Bacon and Associates to undertake a workforce planning study to report on the prospective supply and demand for a number of therapy grades. This report is expected within the coming weeks.
As an interim measure, progress has been made in increasing the number of training places from October 2000 for the following therapies: speech and language therapy, eight places; physiotherapy, 52 places; occupational therapy, five places. An additional 30 training places have been created in clinical psychology within recent months, and talks are ongoing with university heads of psychology with the aim of increasing this number further from October 2001. I am committed to taking all appropriate steps to promote the recruitment and retention of health service staff.
