Ceist:
117 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will urgently intervene in the provision of physiotherapy services from a centre (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19131/01]
Written Answers. - Physiotherapy Service.
The provision of health services in the Dublin area is a matter for the Eastern Regional Health Authority. I have drawn this issue to the attention of its regional chief executive for direct reply to the Deputy.
Increasing demand as well as difficulties in recruiting physiotherapists has contributed to delays in the provision of physiotherapy services in the ERHA area. The three area health boards are making every effort to address this problem through active recruitment campaigns.
The study on The Current and Future Supply and Demand Conditions for Certain Professional Therapists, which my Department commissioned Dr. Peter Bacon and Associates to conduct, is currently under consideration. Among the issues addressed by this study is the number of additional training places required for physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists. Through the Higher Education Authority, the possibility of increasing the number of training colleges, as well as training places, will also be addressed.
In the meantime, following contacts between the Minister for Health and Children, the Minister for Education and Science and the HEA, the number of physiotherapist training places was increased by 52 from October 2000.
The expert group report on various health professions reported in April 2000. It recommended that talks begin between the parties on the establishment of a new grade of clinical specialist in the therapy grades. Following discussions between IMPACT, the Health Service Employers Agency and officials of my Department employers were advised recently of the creation of this new grade.
The establishment of this new grade allows for the recognition and reward of those with a high degree of clinical expertise. By providing an avenue of career progression for those who do not wish to move into management, it will also serve as a retention mechanism.
Health boards and other health agencies have been notified of their allocation of posts, along with details of qualifying criteria and post responsibilities to enable them to draw up individual job descriptions for the posts. The operation of these new posts will be the subject of an evaluation process after 12 months.
Through the implementation of the expert group, the criteria for the upgrading of therapists from basic grade to senior have been improved. On this basis a survey of all health service employers was undertaken to identify posts which would meet these new criteria. Last December sanction was given for the upgrading of these posts. Approximately half of all basic grade therapy posts were upgraded through this process.
Additional revenue funding provided to services for older people has been increased significantly in recent years from £3 million in 1997 to an additional £7 million in 1998, an additional £12 million in 1999, an additional £28.5 million in 2000. In 2001 an additional £37 million will be provided. When nursing home subventions are included the investment for 2001 will total over £51 million.
A proportion of the development funding available this year has been targeted at the provision of additional community supports, that is nursing and paramedical posts. It is intended to improve these community supports in the coming years, leading to an enhancement of service provision. Additional funding of more than £14 million was allocated to the Eastern Regional Health Authority in 2001 for the further development of services for older people throughout Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow. As much as £1.65 million of this allocation was provided for improvements in community supports.
This Government has also significantly increased funding for physical and sensory disability services. Since coming to office it has provided additional funding of just more than £107 million for services to people with physical and sensory disabilities. This additional funding includes a total of approximately £55 million additional ongoing revenue, of which £5 million was provided in 1998, £9 million in 1999, £17.823 million in 2000 and just under £23 million this year, for the maintenance and development of services, including paramedical services, for people with physical and sensory disabilities. Priorities for the allocation of funding available for the development of services in the sector are decided by the health boards, in consultation with their regional co-ordinating committees for physical and sensory disability services.