Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 17 Dec 2002

Vol. 559 No. 5

Written Answers. - Physiotherapy Services.

Jan O'Sullivan

Ceist:

298 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health and Children the way in which he proposes to address the shortage of physiotherapists in residential centres for people with intellectual disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26732/02]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Mr. T. O'Malley)

The Deputy will be aware that my Department commissioned a report from Dr. Peter Bacon and Associates on current and future supply and demand conditions in the labour market for speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. The study was published in July 2001 and concluded that a major expansion is essential in the numbers of each of the therapy grades, including physiotherapy, requiring a significant increase in training places. Significant progress has been made in boosting the number of training places in line with the recommendations contained in the report.

An inter-agency working group was established comprising representatives of my Department, the Department of Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority. A formal bidding process was initiated between third level educational institutions to respond to the training needs identified in the Bacon report. The proposals received were assessed by the working group with a view to early progress in the provision of the extra training places recommended.

Arising from the proposals received by the working group on 29 May I and the Minister for Education and Science jointly announced an additional 25 bachelor of science places at the University of Limerick. In addition, universities already offering degree courses in physiotherapy have increased the number of places being offered in recent years. The intake for the physiotherapy degree course at TCD increased from 30 to 36 in 2000-01 and to 40 in 2001-02 and 2002-03. The physiotherapy school in UCD has also significantly increased its intake in recent years. It increased from 32 to 56 in 2000-01 and further increased its intake to 60 students in 2001-02. A provisional number of 60 students were also accepted in 2002-03. The Royal College of Surgeons has two physiotherapy courses. The standard four year course saw a number of EU students rise from four to 15 in 2000-01, 12 in 2001-01 and 14 in 2002-03. The second course which allows direct entry into year two increased by six in 2000-01 from 11 to 17. A provisional number of 14 EU students were accepted in 2002-03.

In tandem with the increase in training places, new pay scales and career structures have been introduced for physiotherapists with a view to enhancing recruitment and retention generally.

In addition information collected by my Department shows an increase of 32% in the number of physiotherapists employed since 1999. A total of 678.5 whole-time equivalent physiotherapists were employed at end December 1999 and a total of 895.98 WTE were employed at end December 2001.