SIX of family’s therapists are out on maternity leave at the same time
Anger as young brother and sister miss out on essential therapy
A YOUNG brother and sister are being denied vital life-enhancing treatment since last September, as five therapists and one social worker in Mayo are on maternity leave and have not been replaced.
Iarlaith Farrell, five, from Charlestown, Co. Mayo, has cerebral palsy and requires regular physiotherapy, speech enhancement and occupational therapy to improve his quality of life.
His treatment is overseen by the HSE but it has been reduced to one physio session every three weeks as all three therapists are on maternity leave, as is his social worker.
His sister, Neasa, four, who has autism, is looked after by Western Care, a HSE-funded group based in Castlebar. She was allocated a social worker almost a year ago – but they have yet to meet. Like her brother, she has speech and occupational therapists, both of whom are on maternity leave.
Their father Ciaran told the Irish Mail On Sunday: ‘Prior to last September, Iarlaith was due to be getting one hour of physiotherapy every week but the reality was, he was getting two hours every three weeks. He was receiving pre-school care but when he began primary last September, he entered into the primary school care system.
‘The physio who was working with him at that point was trying to place him on a waiting list to see someone else, as she knew she had maternity leave coming up.
‘Myself and my wife Catherine kicked up about it and now he gets a physio from Galway who travels up to see him for one hour every three weeks.
‘Right now, Iarlaith’s physiotherapist, his speech-and-language therapist and his occupational therapist are all on maternity. An adhoc speech therapist has been in place since February but the position has not been properly filled.
‘Why can funding not be automatically provided to cover maternity leave in such important roles?
‘It’s absolutely ludicrous and it is incredibly frustrating to see your kids suffer when they shouldn’t have to.
‘We’re not blaming the people who are out – we are blaming the system that facilitates a lack of cover in such situations. Why are children who were getting treatment put on a waiting list because someone is on maternity leave? Cerebral palsy won’t wait. There has to be contingencies,’ he said.
Neasa, meanwhile, has a social worker she has yet to meet.
‘Last August, Neasa was meant to be part of a group session with an occupational therapist but that was cancelled due to a bereavement in the therapist’s family,’ Ciaran said. ‘Then in October, we were told the therapist was on maternity leave and she wasn’t replaced.
‘Her speech-and-language therapist is also on maternity leave, yet nobody has been brought in to fill the void. She was also assigned a social worker last year and we have yet to see sign of one around the place. In both our kids’ cases, surely those in authority knew maternity leave was coming up and had time to fill the vacancies.’
Ciaran said the situation was placing an almost intolerable strain on the Farrell family: ‘I am fortunate that I job-share. I work two weeks on, two weeks off, but the fact is I don’t have time off; I have to try and load the kids’ medical appointments into what is meant to be my time off. Don’t for one minute think I am complaining about that – like any father, I’ll do whatever I have to for my children. But what is happening is not right. Children who need care are not able to access it because six people on maternity leave are not replaced.
‘It’s just crazy what is going on down here. I know from experience the HSE is all about money, not providing a good service. In 2015, Iarlaith had an epileptic fit and was taken to Temple Street. We were told to return in five weeks to have an MRI as there was a waiting list.
‘But then I told them I had medical insurance and suddenly the scan was available the same day. I’m sure there are other families in as bad a situation. But come on, six people who provide absolutely vital services all on maternity leave at the same time and no effort being made to replace them? That’s scandalous, just scandalous.’
A HSE spokesman said: ‘There are a number of community-based physiotherapy posts vacant. Galway, Mayo and Roscommon community health services have applied for these vacant posts to be replaced.
‘In the event of maternity leave, approval for a locum is sought in advance. These posts are pending approval by the HSE national primary care division and we anticipate approval shortly.’
A Western Care spokeswoman said: ‘We are not in a position to comment on individual cases.’
‘Incredibly frustrating to see your kids suffer’ ‘I’ve seen it myself that HSE is all about money’