Local children with autism sent to Loughrea for appointments
A local councillor has criticised the HSE after it was confirmed that children with autism in South Roscommon are still being asked to travel to Loughrea to access psychological appointments.
At a recent meeting of the HSE West Regional Forum, Curraghboy's Cllr Tony Ward asked "how many children have to go outside the county of Roscommon" to avail of autism services.
The reply from the HSE said its Children's Disability Network Team for South Roscommon and East Galway was "temporarily based in Loughrea" at present.
"Children from South Roscommon may need to travel to Loughrea for appointments, but the team do travel to Roscommon for appointments as much as possible," said the reply.
It added that the estates section of the HSE was "actively looking for a more centrally based site" in which to host appointments for children in South Roscommon and East Galway, and that "once this base is secured, children will no longer have to travel to Loughrea".
The HSE indicated there were thirteen children from South Roscommon who were currently being asked to travel outside of the county for psychological appointments.
Cllr Ward said it was "completely unfair on parents" to ask them to undertake these trips.
"I have parents contacting me who have children with autism and they're either going to Loughrea or to Castlerea or Boyle. It's completely unfair on parents who are doing road trips of maybe 120 or 130 kilometres in order to make these appointments.
"Parents are telling me that they're having to take time off work and then there's the cost of travelling to and from these appointments, which is substantial."
The Independent councillor said he had previously been given assurances by the HSE that more of these services would be provided at the Primary Care Centre in Monksland.
"The whole idea of primary care in Monksland was that the services would be there in South Roscommon, and you wouldn't have parents going to Loughrea. I've nothing against Loughrea, but the time and cost of being on the road is a huge issue," he concluded.
The HSE said last year that the services being provided in Loughrea by the Children's Disability Network Team (CDNT) for South Roscommon and East Galway would move to "a Ballinasloe or South Roscommon base" once "suitable accommodation" became available.
The HSE said the CDNT was put in place to deliver services such as speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy, social work, nursing and behavioural support.