More than 600 people died waiting for vital home adaptations delayed by OT backlogs

SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan has called for an urgent joined-up action from the Health and Communities Ministers to address the deepening crisis in occupational therapy (OT) services across Northern Ireland and access to the Disabled Facilities Grant.

He has warned that a growing shortage of OTs is denying thousands of people the basic support they need to remain in their homes and live independently.

The MLA for Foyle said: “637 people have died in the last five years while waiting on approval to access the Disabled Facilities Grant – which cannot proceed without an OT assessment.

“It’s heart breaking that these people and their families were left without basic adaptations when they needed it most.

“Over 19,000 people are currently waiting for an OT assessment an increase of 2,000 in just one year. In the Western Trust area alone, nearly 4,000 patients are waiting.

“Shockingly, the average waiting time for adult OT is over 2 years, and more than three years for paediatric OTs.

“Yet despite the overwhelming demand, the Western Trust employs one of the lowest numbers of occupational therapy staff in the region.

“That’s hard to understand especially when more students than ever are being trained and qualifying as Occupational Therapists.
“We’re investing heavily in training specialists, yet the jobs simply aren’t being made available within our health service. It’s a disconnect that’s failing both professionals, patients and their families.

“This isn’t just a waiting list problem. It’s having a knock-on impact on social housing waiting lists and contributes to hospital bed-blocking, as people are unable to be discharged due to unsafe home environments.

“I’ve heard from people who are sleeping on sofas because they can’t make it upstairs to bed, and from parents devastated because their children are missing out on support that could transform their lives.

“Occupational therapy is key to dignity and independence and it should be a cornerstone of our health and social care system.

“Instead, people are being left in limbo for years, while costs for vital home adaptations spiral due to delays.

“In the North West we’re witnessing a postcode lottery, the level of OT service in the Western Trust must be reviewed as a matter of urgency.

“If properly resourced, this could prove key not only to the health and social care crisis or emergency department pressures but could alleviate pressures on the social housing system.

“This isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s about restoring independence and the right to remain in the homes people have built their lives in.

“The Executive must act now.”

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