Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 October 2016
28. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Health the action being taken to improve waiting times for speech and language therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30648/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis question also relates to waiting lists. It is not a coincidence that this second question is again about people who have been waiting for treatment for long periods. What action is being taken to improve waiting times for speech and language therapy and will the Minister of State make a statement on the matter?
He is a fast-moving Minister of State.
Quick Draw McGrath.
He is like a hare.
I am not finished yet. There are a few more coming down the line as well.
The Government recognises that waiting times for speech and language therapy have posed significant difficulties for families and their children.
In 2016, €4 million was provided under the HSE’s national service plan to focus specifically on speech and language therapy waiting lists in primary and social care for children up to 18 years of age. This investment represents a long-term increase in speech and language capacity that will be maintained into 2017.
The HSE has also introduced a number of initiatives specifically in the area of speech and language therapy services that are aimed at improving access to these services. I refer to therapists increasing clinic-based work and, whenever possible, providing family-centred interventions in a group.
The additional €4 million in 2016 is enabling the HSE to fill 83 new full-time and recurring posts in primary care to address waiting lists, prioritising the longest-waiting children. To ensure that best use is made of the available funding while recruitment is under way, the HSE is implementing interim measures in 2016 that include temporary appointments and use of agency staff.
The HSE has established a national therapy service review group to address therapy waiting lists, including the speech and language therapies raised by the Deputy. The group will agree a revised national model of speech and language therapy provision that will be standardised across all community health care organisations as regards referral criteria, assessment and treatment arrangements, models of care and standardisation of a prioritisation system for speech and language therapy. It is anticipated that the group will have completed its work by the end of March 2017.
I thank the Minister of State for outlining the future plans but, with respect, more could be done. The numbers waiting for first assessments have increased from 14,047 to 15,545. After the first assessment, people must wait for treatment to kick in. In that regard, we have gone from 8,326 to 8,974. Of the latter, 117 people have been waiting for over two years, which is really not acceptable. Does the Minister of State find it acceptable? Two years is an awful long time in the life of a child. We speak about early intervention, which deals with children between birth and six years, so two years from that is a big fraction of a child's life. Early intervention is very important.
The number of speech and language therapists appointed by the national recruitment service from 1 June 2016 to 5 August 2016 is 92. The appointments in 2016 to date have resulted in an increase of 86 whole-time speech and language therapists, based on the 2015 HSE employment census. Of the 92 whole-time equivalent speech and language therapists appointed this year, 43 were for social care, 33 were for primary care, seven were for acute services, eight were for mental health services and one was listed as being recruited for another service.
I take the Deputy's point on speech and language therapists and this is a very important issue. One must get in early with speech and language therapy and I accept the Deputy's argument, particularly with regard to young children. This will ensure that young children will develop right through into their teenage years. I am focusing much of my service plan on this but there are other issues relating to residential, day care and respite places. Within that top five, I tell people that speech and language is very important for me. During my Estimates meeting with the Minister, Deputy Harris, I received great support for this issue. I have also received support from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe. We accept the argument that we must do something radical and invest in speech and language therapists. That process has begun and I hope we will continue that work.
