Written Answers. - Hospital Staffing.
Noel Ahern
Question:
117
Mr. N. Ahern
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
his views on reported shortages of physiotherapists in the health services; the numbers employed compared with five to ten years ago; his views on whether it is acceptable to wait six months for a session; if the position of physiotherapist's aid is recognised here; the reason qualified students with UK degrees in rehabilitative studies cannot find employment here as physiotherapist aids as happens in the UK; if his Department enters into sponsorship arrangements with such graduates who can complete their studies to become qualified physiotherapists on the basis of future contractual arrangements; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[27414/01]
The number of physiotherapists – whole-time equivalents – employed in the public health service at 31 December 1990, 1995 and 2000 respectively are as detailed below. The Deputy may wish to note the 53% increase in the number of physiotherapy personnel working in the health service over the past five years.
|
31/12/90
|
31/12/95
|
31/12/00
|
|
Physiotherapist
|
162
|
207
|
272
|
|
Physiotherapist Manager
|
|
|
18
|
|
Physiotherapist, Senior
|
53
|
64
|
150
|
|
Physiotherapist-in-Charge(Grade I)
|
15
|
16
|
1
|
|
Physiotherapist-in-Charge(Grade III)
|
|
|
1
|
|
Total
|
230
|
288
|
441
|
It is a priority that sufficient numbers of physiotherapists are employed in the public health service to ensure that all persons requiring treatment receive treatment within a reasonable timeframe. In response to my concern regarding the current severe labour shortages affecting the therapy professions and the delivery of therapy services nationwide my Department commissioned a report from Dr. Peter Bacon and Associates on current and future supply and demand conditions in the labour market for speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. The study, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of workforce requirement for qualified personnel in these areas to 2015, was published on 25 July last.
The report concludes that a major expansion is essential in the numbers of therapy professionals over the next 15 years including a doubling in the number of physiotherapists. This will require a significant increase in training places with a recommended annual increase of 25 course places for physiotherapy. Other key recommendations of the report include: provision of sufficient clinical placements within the health service through the establishment of a national network of clinical placement co-ordinators; need for fast-track qualification and review of the existing training system; concerted recruitment from overseas; establishment of the planned system of statutory registration consistent with the requirement for a patient-centred health service; career structure, workload, working practices and skills-mix issues encompassed in the context of the report of the expert group on various health professions published in April 2000.
I am working closely with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, to ensure the rapid provision of the additional places as an urgent priority. To this end an inter-agency working group has been established comprising representatives of my Department, the Department of Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority, HEA. The Higher Education Authority has initiated a formal bidding process between third level educational institutions to respond quickly to the training needs identified in the study.
The introduction of the grade of therapy assistant to the health service was among a number of recommendations contained in the report of the expert group on various health professionals. This new grade is intended to complement the roles of the major therapy professions, including physiotherapy, and its development and introduction will be progressed by my Department as part of the continuing implementation of the expert group report.
My Department is not currently involved in sponsorship arrangements of the nature outlined by the Deputy. The implementation of both the recommendations of the Bacon report as set out above and the expert group report is expected to make a significant contribution to alleviating the serious recruitment and retention difficulties currently affecting the provision of physiotherapy services in the health sector. My Department will, of course, be monitoring the position on an ongoing basis in order to ensure that these measures prove effective.
