Services for children in Leitrim “inadequate”

“The service is not adequate or anything near adequate and hasn't been for some time,” said Cllr Mary Bohan at the latest Manorhamilton municipal district meeting having previously called on the Minister for Health and the HSE to provide “adequate resources for services for children in Leitrim.”

She had said that parents are waiting up to six months to get their children back into speech therapy and described it as “inexcusable” adding that there is no physio in place at present for the child development team in Leitrim and there are extensive waiting lists.

Cllr Bohan continued that “children need that service,” that there is “huge amounts of money going into the health service; for example the amount of money going to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) has increased hugely.”

The response at the Manorhamilton MD meeting on Monday said that, currently there is an allocation of one whole-time equivalent occupational therapist in the Leitrim/West Cavan Community Healthcare Network and “that's adequate to provide a high quality service to clients.”

The primary care paediatric speech and language therapy service in Leitrim has been approved for an allocation of three whole-time equivalent speech and language therapists, a post has been lost due to resignations, and said that due to a recruitment embargo this position has not been filled, the reply stated.

Cllr Bohan branded the response from the HSE as “flowery” and said "something needs to be done about it.”

She said it's “heartbreaking for parents” and “they just don't know what to do” and some “are trying to get private treatment for their children but shouldn't have to do that as they are paying their taxes and entitled to that service.”

Cllr Bohan suggested writing to the HSE once again to say “the service is inadequate and needs to be improved.”

Cllr Justin Warnock said that GP services were also “getting hit; every service you can think of is not being kept up to speed and it's a county with a growing population. We are taking the abuse on the doorsteps for their incompetence.”

Cllr Bohan clarified her comments were not a “criticism of the existing staff because once people get into the services, they are very good; they are under duress as well due to waiting lists, etc.”

Cllr Padraig Fallon said the response was “not good enough” and that “this was an issue before the recruitment embargo but we do need to see that ban lifted.”