Laois left wihtout Occupational Therapy service for children and young people

A TD has slammed the absence of an Occupational Therapy service for children and young people in Laois. 

Local Independent TD Brian Stanley called on Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll McNeill and the HSE to act now and provide the service. 

“I received a response to a Parliamentary Question which outlines the HSE's current position on this, stating in the reply that, ‘unfortunately there are currently no children’s or young person’s primary care Occupational Therapy services in Co. Laois’, and they set out that it is not possible to give a time frame at this point when there will be one,” said Dep Stanley. 

He said local management state that it is amongst the highest priority posts put forward for approval to the Department of Health. “But the fact is that they state very clearly that the services are awaiting that approval for to fill the posts. Four posts are currently vacant in Primary Care. It is outrageous. that these posts are not being filled,” said Dep Stanley. 

He pointed to the clear need for the services in the county and noted that health professionals and members of the public are complaining about the gaps in primary care services.

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“We know how important it is to have timely interventions and that people re receive proper healthcare. These basic services should be in place at Primary Care level, and the fact that they are not leaves a huge gap in health services,” said Dep Stanley. 

In conclusion, he said, “I am calling on the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll McNeill and the senior management of HSE to address this and to give approval for the recruitment process to proceed without delay for occupational therapists.”