Tipperary Disability advocate Cara Darmody intends to make her meeting with HSE CEO Bernard Gloster tomorrow a turning point in what she calls the “national crisis” in respect of delays in providing Assessments of Needs for children. An Assessment of Need as outlined in the Disability Act 2005 will identify a child’s health needs and what services are required to meet the child’s needs.
At present over 15,000 children are waiting on an Assessment – the HSE expects the figure to increase to 25,000 by year end. Delays have been blamed on a lack of psychologists, the current structure of the Assessment and the time limit under the 2005 Disability Act for the assessment to be provided with some speculation that the Government might extend the current legal limit from 6 months.
Ms Darmody says the situation is an “international embarrassment” and one to which she hopes to bring forward some suggestions in tomorrow afternoon’s meeting in Limerick with Mr. Gloster.
Ms Darmody intends to highlight delays in the HSE providing contact information for children needing Assessments to psychologists that have recently been awarded contracts by the HSE to provide the service. The psychologist also reports to Ms Darmody that the tender process took 8 months to complete. Ms Darmody is underlining to the Government that it is currently breaking the law as regards the 2005 Disability Act.
