Expansion plans for healthcare and therapy areas welcomed

A THIRD level expansion for key healthcare and therapy areas has been welcomed by a local TD. 

Local Fianna Fáil TD, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, has welcomed the third level expansion for a significant increase in the number of third level places available in healthcare courses, including therapy places to support disability services.

From September, this will include an increase of 100 places in the undergraduate intake in key therapies, the roll-out of Post-Leaving Cert courses to train speech and language therapist assistants in five Education and Training Boards, with an estimated 120 students expected on these programmes.

The initiative will also include the provision of 665 additional places in medicine, nursing, pharmacy and other key healthcare courses.

Deputy Murnane O'Connor said: "Increasing the workforce is absolutely essential to addressing demands in the healthcare system and to improving access to the services people rely on. The further and higher education sector has a critical role to play in ensuring that our healthcare services have the staff they need to deliver the care that people need, and these places are an important step in that direction."

She added: "Increasing the supply of therapists is the best way of ensuring that the HSE can deliver much needed interventions for children and cut the waiting lists for Assessment of Need.  This is something I have campaigned on as Party spokesperson on Children.

 "It's important that we have a clear pipeline of appropriately qualified people and today's announcement demonstrates how we're going in the right direction to bolster the potential staff available to support people.''