Push for clarity on funding and staffing for Speech and Language Services in Leitrim

In September’s meeting of Leitrim County Council, Cllr Maeve Reynolds highlighted the significant shortages in Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) and their effects for children and families in Sligo and Leitrim.

She called on Stephen Donnelly TD to urgently address the waiting lists and staff shortages in Sligo/Leitrim primary care SLT services.

Cllr Reynolds told elected members that in Carrick-on-Shannon, four positions for Speech and Language Therapists exist, but just one has been filled, leaving the others vacant and the referral rate is also up 200 percent on last year.

At November’s Council meeting, Cllr Reynolds expressed disappointment with the response she received from the Head of Services for Primary Care in the HSE regarding staffing shortages of SLT’s in the Sligo/Leitrim, South Donegal and West Cavan area.

The response stated that the service is continuing to examine opportunities to prioritise recruitment to the above grades in this context and in order to respond to the needs of the population, however, there has not been any improvement in staffing levels since Cllr Reynolds raised the issue in September.

To address the staffing shortage within the SLT Department, they introduced a new drop-in Advice Clinic for families of children awaiting initial assessment, starting in September 2024.

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“While I welcome and appreciate that the limited staff that are currently employed are trying to address the chronic shortfall of therapists, a drop-in advice clinic is in no way a substitute or alternative to therapy for these young children, when we know early intervention is so important in their development,” Cllr Reynolds urged.

“This response only confirms that there are in fact more vacancies in the Primary Care SLT than there are positions filled. 

“It does not give an explanation as to why the vacant positions have not been filled,” Cllr Reynolds said.

While it was acknowledged that services must be provided within the available budget and resources, the response did not clarify whether there is funding to fill vacant positions.

Cllr Reynolds raised the question of where the funding has gone, seeing as these positions were funded in 2023 but are now unfilled.

Cllr Reynolds was provided with statistics from the HSE on current SLT staffing levels in the area.

She proposed that these statistics be forwarded onto Bernard Gloucester, CEO of HSE.

“I don’t think the response is substantial to the question that was asked,” concluded Cllr Reynolds.

The elected members of Leitrim County Council agreed to approve Cllr Reynolds' proposal.

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