At least 12 key positions in Monaghan Children's Disability services are now unfilled. This week, local TD, Matt Carthy revealed details of information he received from the HSE through a parliamentary question. He described the situation as a "shocking understaffing" of Monaghan's Children Disability Services
12 key positions unfilled is an increase from the five unfilled posts which the HSE confirmed on 31st December last. Deputy Carthy said that there is a developing emergency within Disability Services in County Monaghan and called on the government to immediately intervene to address the issue.
The unfilled posts include Clinical Nurse Manager, were neither of the 1.8 staff allocation is filled; Senior Social
Worker, were neither of the 1.8 posts are currently filled; and both Staff Grade and Clinical Specialist Psychologists, both allocated a full post but neither currently filled.
Within Speech & Language, a key area where there is a huge unmet demand for appointments, two of the three SLT staff grade are
unfilled while 1 of the 3.4 Senior Therapist positions is vacant. Other disciplines where vacancies are open include 1.6 of the 3.6 Senior Occupational Therapists.
"This is confirmation that the crisis in Monaghan's Children Disability services is set to become an emergency unless a drastic improvement occurs very quickly," Deputy Carthy said.
