Safety concerns forcing staff to leave children’s disability service teams

Therapists, social workers, and psychologists warned their ability to deliver safe care is “in jeopardy” with concerns over safety, clinical governance, and risk management pushing people to leave these jobs. File picture

Waiting lists for children with disabilities are being affected by staff leaving because they are worried about working under non-specialist managers, five representative bodies have warned.

Therapists, social workers, and psychologists warned their ability to deliver safe care is “in jeopardy” with concerns over safety, clinical governance, and risk management pushing people to leave these jobs. The HSE, in response, said there are 700 vacancies across the 91 children’s disability network teams but that recruitment is ongoing to address this.

The group has called for the HSE to consult urgently with them on this.

They are working within the HSE’s Children’s Disability Services which has been re-organised into 91 children’s disability network teams in efforts to address a postcode lottery which saw some areas offer better access to care than others.

However, these health and social care professionals (HSCP) warned the restriction has led to fears around clinical governance, risk management, the erosion of professional autonomy and career structures. “This significantly impacts on our members’ abilities to deliver services to children with disabilities,” they said.

They raised particular concerns around managerial structures where staff “are not reporting to a discipline-specific manager who has an inherent understanding of their specialised roles.” 

They also warned staff could be asked to develop services outside their expertise or work without the appropriate supervision. “This ultimately affects the safety of services being delivered to children and their families,” they said.

These concerns are now having a direct impact on retention of HSCPs as well as recruitment against a backdrop of “significant waiting lists” for children.

The Association of Occupational Therapists Ireland, Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists, Irish Association of Social Workers, Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists, and the Psychological Society of Ireland together represent the second-largest clinical grouping in the health workforce.

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In response, the HSE said the restructuring is “one of the most complex change programmes undertaken in the health service” affecting staff from 18 service providers. This is being done under the Progressing Disability Services policy.

“Before this policy was rolled out, children with the same needs in different parts of the country received very different levels of supports, depending on where they lived. This was unfair and needed to change,” a spokesman said. 

While the teams are now in place, he said: “A robust recruitment campaign is in operation to fill the 700 vacancies across the teams.” It is expected each team will also have a Family Forum, but so far only 68 are in place.

He also acknowledged a six-month gap since the Disability Advisory Group last met, saying this was linked to a key post being vacant. Dr Rosie Gowran has now been appointed as lead to the national clinical programme for people with disabilities, and these meetings should resume within weeks.

Responding to the concerns around governance, he said this is a priority for the HSE and any gaps in clinical governance will be addressed.