This article is from page 1 of the 2010-02-23 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 1 JPG
THE intellectual disability services in Clare are under severe pressure as frustrated staff struggle to find enough time to treat patients.
Staff shortages and tight budgets have also resulted in long waiting lists of children hoping to access the Clare Early Intervention Service (CEIS).
In 2005 the Government introduced legislation requiring CEIS to carry out an assessment of needs on children referred to the services within a very tight time frame. With the legislation came the promise of more resources but these have yet to be provided. As a result, clinical staff hired to treat children with intellectual disabilities are spending their time assessing re- ferrals and writing reports.
In a bid to ensure some children were seen by their therapists the Dis- ability Services in Clare were forced to ring-fence therapy time .
The situation is less than ideal with the HSE admitting that it is proving difficult to retain staff. Providing equipment for people with intellectual and physical disabilities has also led to difficult decisions for HSE staff.
Last year just €725,000 was provid- ed for appliances and equipment for people with intellectual and physical and sensory disabilities in the county.
With a specialised wheelchair cost- ing €10,000, and communication devices costing up to €15,000, staff have to prioritise cases for essential devices, leaving many without.
The budget for the Clare Disabil- ity Services for 2009 was just under €26.5 million. Of that €17,140,517 went to the service providers who work with the HSE.