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Training of Health Professionals.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 November 2004

Tuesday, 9 November 2004

Ceisteanna (118)

Sean Fleming

Ceist:

175 Mr. Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if her attention has been drawn to the changes (details supplied) that were made to the terms and conditions of the training programme for persons who recently commenced the three-year doctorate programme in clinical psychology at Trinity College, Dublin; if she will reverse these changes as urgently as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28087/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

A bursary model for supporting postgraduate clinical psychology training was adopted to underpin the implementation of a key recommendation of the union-management joint review group on psychological services in the health services to substantially increase the number of training places in clinical psychology from 30 to 50 and support the establishment of new courses at the National University of Ireland, Galway, and the University of Limerick. This increase in training places will help meet the long-term human resource needs of the health service for clinical psychologists and is, therefore, of significant benefit to those who need to avail of psychological services. The bursary model is also intended to secure the best return on the significant resources invested in the training of clinical psychologists.

The terms of the bursary model were agreed jointly by my Department with the health boards' directors of human resources group in August 2003. It assists students undertaking postgraduate training in clinical psychology by providing each student with an untaxed bursary payment of €18,000 per annum, along with an annual contribution towards fees of €6,000 for the three years of the course, that is, a total contribution of €24,000 per annum. I understand this level of financial support compares favourably to that available to postgraduate students generally.

In the absence of a national plan for postgraduate clinical psychology training, some students were previously employed as trainee clinical psychologists on a salary scale with a multiplicity of arrangements in place to fund course fees ranging from the deduction of fees from the pre-tax salary to payment of full fees. These arrangements were put in place at a time when the limited number of training places severely restricted access to postgraduate courses in clinical psychology. The introduction of the bursary model is, therefore, facilitating a substantial improvement in access to training through the development of new courses to the benefit of prospective students. It is also intended to contribute to a significant improvement in the volume of psychological services provided to the public by training the increased personnel required to reduce the current high level of vacancies for clinical psychologists in the health service.

The Deputy may wish to note that discussions have taken place with representatives of the IMPACT national vocational group and the professional body regarding the introduction of the new model. However, it has not proved possible to reach agreement and, following a conciliation conference held by the Labour Relations Commission, the matter has now been referred to the Labour Court.

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