Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
1384. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 1 June 2023, to detail what additionality he has secured in conjunction with the Higher Education Authority in Health and social care professional undergraduate programmes for September 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28503/23]
View answer1385. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 1 June 2023, if the working group established by his Department has established how additional placements can be secured to facilitate greater numbers of training places on health and social care professional programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28504/23]
View answer1386. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 142 of 1 June 2023, the timeframe within which the Higher Education Authority will conduct an exercise to identify where substantial additional capacity could be built in priority health and social care professional disciplines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28505/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1384 to 1386, inclusive, together.
Officials from my Department are engaging with Higher Education Institutions to ascertain possible expansion on existing programmes from 2023, including in the health and social care professions. Any increase in student places requires corresponding placements in the health sector for students. Significant engagement is ongoing between my Department and the Department of Health to progress this issue.
The group established by my Department last year is looking at identifying and addressing barriers to expansion in the health and social care professions. This working group has included representatives from the Department of Health, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the HSE, CORU, the higher education sector as well as my Department. This group is looking at both incremental expansion from September 2023, and enabling more substantial expansion in the medium term.
Membership of the group accept that the lack of availability of clinical placements has been a factor constraining expansion on HSCP programmes. The HSE is developing a Framework for Practice Placement Education. Since the working group was established, the HSCP Office has progressed significant work on proposed governance and oversight structures for HSCP placements, with a view to increasing the overall availability of placements, and broadening the number of clinical settings which facilitate placements. I understand that the Department of Health have also recently appointed a HSCP Officer to lead on enabling expansion in health and social care professions.
The HEA’s next expression of interest process, which will focus on the expansion of places in allied healthcare areas, will take place later this year.
