HSE occupational therapy wait time over nine months in Cork

People in West Cork are waiting more than nine months for access to occupational therapy services, new data from the HSE has shown, as additional training places are being provided to address staff shortages.

Figures from HSE South-West show that the average waiting time for referrals from all sources into the occupational therapy department for both adult and paediatric clients in West Cork is 40 weeks. This is followed by 21 to 33 weeks in Cork South Lee, 14 to 28 weeks in North Lee, and 15 to 23 weeks in North Cork.

A HSE spokesperson said they “acknowledge that these timeframes for such a service are less than desirable”.

They added: “There are a number of factors leading to these longer wait times, including a growth in demand for services and also vacant posts (which we are recruiting to fill). 

"Reducing waiting times is a priority for the service, and we are actively working on strategies which include resource allocation; validation of waiting lists; streamlining process and optimising existing workloads, as well as recruitment to vacant/replacement posts.”

The spokesperson also said that targeted recruitment campaigns, strategic partnerships with recruitment agencies, and early engagement with final-year university students are taking place, while government funding has been allocated to expand occupational therapy training places.

“The HSE South-West is supporting an innovative new entry pathway that enables learners to begin their academic journey within the further education sector and, upon meeting progression criteria, transition directly into the undergraduate degree programme at UCC.”

Independent Ireland TD Ken O’Flynn, to whom the data was provided on foot of a parliamentary question, told The Echo: “No family should wait almost a year for an occupational therapist. These numbers show a service that has lost control.”