A massive increase in the number of professional therapists has been recommended in a new report, published today.

It proposes a fourfold increase in speech and language therapists, an increase of over 150% in occupational therapists and a doubling of the number of physiotherapists The developments will require a major increase in training places.

Under the report, commissioned by the Department of Health, Ireland will need to have an extra 1,328 chartered physiotherapists, an extra 875 occupational therapists and an extra 985 speech and language therapists by 2015. The report has yet to go to Cabinet for funding approval.

Health Minister, Micheál Martin told irishhealth.com that at this stage the cost of the extra appointments was not known. The third level institutions are being asked to come up with a response, including costings, to the recommendations in the report.

The report, by economic consultants, Peter Bacon & Associates, says that the existing problems include the fact that:

• There are a limited number of educational institutions
• They are all Dublin based
• All are four year programmes with no flexibility
• Excessive points are required

It says that there is cope for fast-tracking qualification and a need for better career structures.

The Department of Health is to begin a major overseas recruitment campaign in the Autumn, particularly targeting non-EU countries. It also plans to cut the length of time taken to validate foreign qualifications, which can currently take up to three months.

According to the report, there are currently just 25 speech and language therapists, 35 occupational therapists and 120 physiotherapists in Ireland. The authors found problems in getting data in relation to who is actually working where and say that despite the best efforts and expertise of professionals in this area, patients receive services that are 'often insufficient, irregular and uncertain'.