Nora Owen
Question:43 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he is taking to require health boards to clear the waiting list for occupational therapy assessment for aids to the elderly at home (details supplied). [5835/02]
Written Answers. - Care of the Elderly.
As the Deputy is aware, the provision of such services is a matter for the individual health boards in the first instance. My Department asked the Eastern Regional Health Authority, which is responsible for the delivery of health services in counties Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare, for its comments on this matter. The difficulties experienced by clients in waiting for assessment, therapy and the provision of appropriate aids by the authority is acknowledged. These difficulties arise from problems encountered in recruiting specialist staff such as occupational therapists.
The authority informs me that the resolution to the current difficulties associated with the recruitment/retention of occupational therapists continues to be actively pursued by local and area health board management. Recruitment-retention difficulties extend right throughout the health service and across a wide range of disciplines, including occupational therapy.
To address the overall issue of shortages in the therapy profession, which includes occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy, an overseas recruitment of therapy grades initiative is currently under way. A group representative of the ten health boards nationally has been established and, in conjunction with other assisting agencies, has been given the brief of sourcing and validating suitably qualified therapists from overseas to fill shortages within the service currently. Work on this project has only commenced recently. However, it is envisaged that progress will be made in this area.
The approach of health boards in overcoming these problems is by way of positive and pro-active intervention. They are, at present, developing an overall strategy to ensure that current and future staff requirements can be achieved in order to maintain continuity in the delivery of a quality service delivery throughout boards. The development of a long-term strategy for recruitment/retention will be based on a consultation process with interested parties including staff, managers, staff associations/unions, professional organisations, etc.
Notwithstanding the above, other initiatives have been taken or are at an advanced stage of introduction. These initiatives include the following: review of current advertisement arrangement, i.e., content, coverage, focus, appeal to prospective applicants and overall presentation; advertisement in overseas newspapers, journals, professional bulletins, local newspapers periodicals, etc.; further enhancement of already established contacts with the schools, colleges and professional bodies; discussions in regard to increasing the number of training places in third level colleges; the question of sponsorship of students and further overseas recruitment drives will be directed towards a range of disciplines including occupational therapy staff.
In conclusion, it is anticipated that the above initiatives will assist the authority in overcoming existing difficulties relating to staff recruitment/retention. It is in this context that the recruitment of staff for the occupational therapy service area is being addressed. Other initiatives are being promoted in the ERHA region include one which will give hospital-based occupational therapists direct access to aids and appliances with which to supply people on discharge from hospital, thus reducing the community waiting lists.