A retired speech and language therapist has said that a "disproportionate increase" in HSE middle management is contributing to a failure to enact the Disability Act.
The Disability Act states that anyone requiring an assessment of need is legally entitled to one within six months of the request being made.
However, a solicitor specialising in child law previously told The Hard Shoulder that parents are often left waiting three or four years before their children are assessed, amongst other things.
Recently retired speech and language therapy manager in the HSE Brenda Kenny told the show today that a “disproportionate increase” in middle management is a contributing factor to this issue.
“Tony O’Brien, when he was CEO of the health service, he described it as an amorphous blob,” she said.
“If it’s possible for a blob to become even more amorphous and even blobbier, it has become that.
“There’s a disproportionate increase in middle management; I was astounded myself.
“I looked at their staff census, there are about six or seven layers of management.”
Ms Kenny said that clinicians are the ones who provide care to patients, whereas those at management level have “no accountability”.
You can listen back to the full interview here:
HSE response
The HSE said in a statement that it acknowledges the challanges in meeting the demand for children's disability services and is acutely conscious of how this impacts on children and their families.
"In line with Progressing Disability Services, 93 Children's Disability Network Teams (CDNTs) are aligned to 96 Community Healthcare Networks (CHNs) across the country and are providing services and supports for children aged from birth to 18 years of age," a spokesperson said.
"The model of service for all CDNTs is multidisciplinary, family-centred and based on the needs of the child.
"This includes universal, targeted and specialised supports and interventions, appropriate to the individual child and family.
"It is based on the objectives of empowering and supporting parents and others who are with the child on a daily basis to facilitate the child’s developmental needs. [..]
"The HSE acknowledges that the CDNT vacancy rate still remains high and intensive work is continuing in 2025 to bolster CDNT services by ensuring there are sufficient team members to deliver the services children and their families need."
Main image: Open concept office interior. Image: Pierre Rochon photography / Alamy. 25 May 2017
