Deputy Pearse Doherty has slammed both the Government and the HSE after new figures reveal that adults in Donegal face some of the longest waiting times to undergo Occupational Therapy assessments across the state.
The figures, which were provided to Sinn Féin in response to a Dáil Question, show that there are currently 308 adult patients across Donegal awaiting an initial assessment, with forty-one patients having been on the list for over a year now.
The data also shockingly reveals that the single longest waiting time recorded to see an Occupational Therapist now stands at 102 weeks.
Deputy Doherty said over the last number of months increasingly more and more people are reporting that they or a loved one have been facing significant delays in having an initial assessment by an Occupational Therapist carried out.
He said “People may need such assessments in order to enable them to perform daily activities such as selfcare, work, leisure and or educational activities, therefore Occupational therapists work with a wide range of patients such as those with acquired conditions such as stroke or spinal injury, those with mental health problems or congenital conditions such as cerebral palsy or spina bifida, and with many others.
“In an effort to find out the full facts, Sinn Féin recently tabled a series of Parliamentary Questions to unearth the true extent of waiting times across the various HSE regions, including here in Donegal.
“The party has now received this information and the figures are shocking to say the least.
“Here in Donegal, adult patients face some of the worst waiting times to undergo an OT assessment with 308 people currently waiting to be seen.
“Forty-one people have been on the list for over a year now, thirty-four of whom are aged 65 years or over.”
He added that if we examine the figures more closely we see that the longest waiting time experienced by a patient on the OT waiting list, aged 18 to 64 and who has yet to be seen now stands at 86 weeks.
“Moreover, the single longest wait has been experienced by a patient over 65 years old who has so far been on the list for a total of 102 weeks – that is simply horrendous.
“There are few other HSE regions across the state where patients face longer waiting times to receive assessment as part of Occupational Therapy services, something which once again proves that government continues to preside over a system whereby patient outcomes and access to services is dependent on where they live.
“This is healthcare by postcode and both the government and the HSE are failing in their duty to deliver timely care to patients most in need of vital services.”
