Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 2

Written Answers. - Occupational Therapy Services.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

447 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has satisfied himself with the reply to a parliamentary question that still does not offer any timetable as to when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 will be visited for an occupational therapy assessment nearly three years after she was placed on the waiting list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26791/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

As I have previously informed the Deputy, the administration of the disabled person's grant is entirely a matter for the Department of the Environment and Local Government and the local authorities. The use of occupational therapy staff from the health boards to carry out assessments is entirely a matter for discussion between the health boards and the local authorities.

I note from the correspondence which the Deputy received from the Eastern Regional Health Authority that the local authority, in this instance Dublin Corporation, has provided for the cost of a private occupational therapy assessment. It is, therefore, no longer necessary for the health board to carry out such an assessment.

In response to my concern regarding current labour shortages affecting the therapy professions nationwide my Department commissioned a report from Dr. Peter Bacon and Associates on current and future supply and demand conditions in the labour market for certain professional therapists, including occupational therapists. The study, a comprehensive quantitative assessment of workforce requirements for qualified personnel in this area to 2015, was published on 25 July last.

The report concludes that a major expansion is essential in the numbers of therapy professionals over the next 15 years, including an increase of over 150% in occupational therapists. This will require a significant increase in training places with a recommended annual increase of 75 course places for occupational therapy.

Other key recommendations of the report include: provision of sufficient clinical placements within the health service through the establishment of a national network of clinical placement co-ordinators; need for fast-track qualification and review of the existing training system; concerted recruitment from overseas; establishment of the planned system of statutory registration consistent with the requirement for a patient-centred health service; career structure, workload, working practices and skills-mix issues encompassed in the context of the report of the expert group on various health professions, published April 2000.

I am working closely with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, to ensure the rapid provision of the additional places as an urgent priority. To this end an inter-agency working group has been established comprising representatives of my Department, the Department of Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority – HEA. The Higher Education Authority has initiated a formal bidding process between third level educational institutions to respond to the training needs identified in the study.