Cavan and Monaghan Children’s Disability Network Teams are currently operating their services with reduced staff numbers due to recruitment issues being experienced locally and nationally.
This is according to the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly who was responding to questions put to him by local Fianna Fail TD Brendan Smith in the Dail recently.
Deputy Smith, meanwhile, has urged the HSE to prioritise the recruitment of additional healthcare professionals for children requiring appropriate therapeutic-interventions and supports in this region.
Minster Donnelly added it was his understanding that the HSE is currently in the process of recruiting for vacant posts in the areas of speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology and social work.
“At present, there are a number of initiatives currently supporting efforts to provide timely therapeutic interventions in the area,” continued the Minister.
“These include Joint Children’s Disabilities and Primary Care Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnostic Wait List Initiative, a joint initiative that has been allocated funding to complete 130 private provider ASD assessments for those waiting longest in Cavan and Monaghan.”
