Concern over speech therapy

CONCERN WAS expressed yesterday over the service being provided to children requiring speech and language therapy across the State.

The Irish Association of Speech Language Therapists (IASLT) was responding yesterday to new figures from Healthstat showing that waiting lists for treatment after assessment in 18 of the 32 HSE community areas have an unsatisfactory service, requiring attention.

In the Healthstat’s red, amber and green marking system, it shows the speech and language therapy services in Carlow, Clare, Cork North, Cork North Lee, Cork South Lee, Dublin South City, Dublin South West, Dublin West, Galway, Laois/Offaly, Limerick, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary North, Tipperary South, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow all scored red.

The Healthstat figures show that areas with a good service marked green were Cavan/ Monaghan, Dublin North West, Kildare/West Wicklow, Longford/ Westmeath, Louth, Meath, Sligo-Leitrim, with Cork West, Donegal, Dublin North, Dublin North Central, Dublin South East, Dún Laoghaire and Kerry marked amber.

IASLT spokeswoman Michelle Thomas said the number of reds recorded by Healthstat “is of huge concern to the SLT profession who advocate for timely services for clients to minimise the impact of communication delays and disorders”.

She said: “We recognise that there are not enough speech and language therapists working in the health service in Ireland currently. One reason for this is that even before the embargo on frontline staff recruitment, the Bacon Report 2001 recommended that there be an increase in SLT posts nationwide and the embargo has had a further devastating effect on services.”

Director of the Clare Crusaders Clinic in Ennis, Ann Norton, yesterday confirmed a large rise in the numbers of children attending the clinic, with 90 per cent requiring speech and language therapy.

The clinic – entirely funded from charitable donations – now provides services to 170 children, a 40 per cent increase on the 120 children on its books one year ago.

A spokesman for the HSE said yesterday: “The number of adults and children referred for both speech and language and occupational therapy services has increased over the last number of years which has led to a less-than-optimal service in some areas.

“However, services provided in the areas serviced by primary care teams are experiencing almost immediate referrals and treatment.

“It is acknowledged that some areas have long waiting lists and the HSE is endeavouring to provide the service that is required. Under the Primary Care Strategy, additional therapy grades are being employed.”