Speech and Language Therapy

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 September 2014

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

Questions (350, 446)

Finian McGrath

Question:

350. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on the crisis in speech and language services. [36600/14]

Terence Flanagan

Question:

446. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Health the steps he is taking to ensure that children with speech and language difficulties do not continue to wait over a year for access to speech and language therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37110/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 446 together.

Health related therapy supports and interventions for children such as speech and language therapy can be accessed both through HSE Primary Care and Disability Services, depending on the level of need of the person. It is estimated that up to 95% of people's health and social service needs can be met within a primary care setting. The Government is committed to the development of both Primary Care and Disability Services and to improve access to therapy services.

In that context, an additional €20m in funding was allocated in 2013 to strengthen primary care services and to support the recruitment of prioritised front-line posts and enhance the capacity of the Primary Care services. This will help to significantly address waiting times for services. As part of this initiative, the HSE commenced recruitment last year of over 260 additional posts for Primary Care Teams including 52 Speech and Language Therapy posts. The HSE has confirmed that all but one of these speech and language posts has been filled to date.

In addition, the HSE has introduced a number of initiatives specifically in relation to speech and language therapy such as therapists increasing clinic based work instead of domiciliary work and providing family centred interventions in a group as opposed to a one-to-one setting, whenever possible. This will also help to address the issue of waiting lists and ensure that services are delivered in as equitable a manner as possible, within available resources.

The HSE has recognised that there is a need to standardise early intervention services and services for school-aged children with disabilities. A major reconfiguration of therapy resources for children with disabilities aged up to 18 years is currently underway under the HSE’s National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18years). This Programme aims to achieve a national unified approach to delivering disability health services, so that there is greater equity of access to services, based on need, and clearer referral pathways to these services and improved collaboration between sectors. An additional €4million euro has been specifically allocated in 2014 to drive implementation of the Programme. This equates to approximately 80 therapy posts, which have now been allocated across the HSE. Of these, speech and language therapy posts accounted for 31 of the 80 posts assigned, which was the largest proportion of the posts allocated.