Over 9,000 people have been waiting more than a year for their first assessment with an occupational therapist, new freedom of information figures have revealed. 

At the end of December, there were 35,250 people waiting for their first-time assessment for occupational therapy and over a quarter, 9,233, had been waiting over a year.

The figures include over 5,400 children, 689 people aged between 18 and 65 and over 3,100 people over 65.

An occupational therapist helping a patient to walk. Image: PHOVOIR / Alamy

Beaumont Hospital consultant Bill Tormey said occupational therapy is a vital clinical tool. 

“In relation to the older people, you’ve got all these neurological disorders which are genetic controlled - some of them Alzheimer’s, some of them Parkinson’s, some of them neuromuscular dystrophies,” he said. 

“These kick in at a later age and an occupational therapist is the professional who will help to set out a programme of care for these people.” 

Hand splint made of thermoplastic being custom fitted by an occupational therapist for post-operative Dupuytren's Contracture surgery patient. Image: Alamy

The HSE told Newstalk it is aware of the need to address the waiting lists - which increased between 2020 and 2022 due to the pandemic.

It also said over 336,000 people were seen by the HSE's occupational therapy services in primary care last year.

Main image shows a patient in occupational therapy following partial paralysis. Image: Phanie/Alamy