Martin Daly
Question:551. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Health if she intends to introduce advanced practitioner roles for occupational therapists within the HSE. [70954/25]
View answerThursday, 11 December 2025
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Written answers
The Department of Health is currently developing the Policy on Advanced Practice in Health and Social Care Professions. The development of an evidence-based policy is progressing, with work underway by officials in the Department of Health, in collaboration with the Health Service Executive (HSE) National Health and Social Care Professions (HSCP) office.
Advanced Practice is an important tool for optimising the capacity of the existing health workforce, supporting the development of career pathways and workforce retention. Budget 2025 allocated €5.5 million for funding to support continued growth of Advanced Practice in nursing and midwifery and enable this to be rolled out for the first time for Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCPs).
The HSE has established a multi-stakeholder Advanced Practice Implementation Oversight Group (APIOG) focused on the development of HSCP Advanced Practice services. The 2025 HSCP Advanced Practice identification and selection process was developed by the APIOG to ensure transparent, evidence-based, and strategically aligned decision-making for the allocation of Advanced Practice resources. Thirty Candidate Advanced Practitioner HSCP posts are to be recruited, including Candidate Advanced Practitioner roles in occupational therapy. The Department continues to work with the HSE in the further roll out of Advanced Practice HSCP as evidence and readiness develop.