John McGuinness
Question:123 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children the full-time care which is available to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [14277/02]
Written Answers. - Health Board Services.
Responsibility for the provision of health services in County Kilkenny rests with the SEHB. My Department has asked its chief executive officer to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and reply to him directly.
John McGuinness
Question:124 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will arrange full-time care for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [14278/02]
Responsibility for the provision of health services in County Kilkenny rests with the SEHB. My Department has asked its chief executive officer to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and reply to him directly.
John McGuinness
Question:125 Mr. McGuinness asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he intends to take to provide interventions for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; the steps which have been taken by the SEHB in this case; and if the board have a plan of action. [14292/02]
Additional funding of €14.6 million has been made available in recent years to the health boards, including the SEHB, in respect of the provision of health related support services for children with an intellectual disability and those with autism. In addition to this ring-fenced funding, children with disabilities would also have benefited from the additional therapy posts which have been put in place in services for persons with physical or sensory disabilities.
Many health boards and specialist service providers have been experiencing difficulties in recruiting allied health professionals and specifically speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and psychologists. This is due primarily to the general shortage of available staff in these grades nationally. Health boards and agencies have been and are continuing to undertake intensive recruitment drives at home and abroad. My Department has asked the health boards and the Eastern Regional Health Authority to explore other approaches which might result in the maintenance of an existing level of service provision or an enhancement in line with agreed service developments using the resources allocated to the services.
In response to my concern regarding the high level of vacancies, 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 was published in July 2001. The report recommends a significant annual increase in course places for these professions.
An interagency working group has been established comprising representatives of my Department, the Department of Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority. The HEA, following a formal bidding process between third level educational institutions, has allocated additional training places for speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy to respond to the training needs identified in the study. In addition, the Northern Area Health Board will shortly be undertaking a concerted overseas recruitment drive for various allied health professionals on behalf of all health boards.
Responsibility for the provision of services to people with an intellectual disability or autism in the south eastern region is a matter for the SEHB. My Department has asked its chief executive officer to investigate the matter raised by the Deputy and to reply to him directly.