Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 March 2024
1248. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Health if he will engage with the relevant bodies to restore the placement allowance for clinical staff providing physiotherapy students with clinical placements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11703/24]
View answerIn 2006, the HSE HR Circular 004/2006 introduced an annual allowance of €250 for Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, and Dietitians who were in employments which cater for the clinical/practical training of undergraduate therapy students during their clinical placements. The payment was backdated to 2003 for staff who had been in situ in the interim period.
This payment was abolished to new entrants from the 1st of February 2012, as a result of the DPER 2012 review of allowances across the entire civil and public service.
Anyone who had been in receipt of this allowance is still entitled to this payment. On the HSE salary scales, the payment is identified as ‘Co-ordination and Overseeing of Undergraduate Student Therapists during clinical placements’ and amounts to €274.67 at present.
The Chief HSCP officer had an initial meeting with the Chief Academic Officers in February 2024. The establishment of joint clinical academic posts was a topic of discussion, as well as the provision of clinical placements and a career structure for practice tutors across the health and social care professions. It is proposed that further meetings will occur to explore these areas of mutual interest and enable more detailed discussion, collaboration, and support where relevant.
