Most commonly reported Work Activities

• Assisting and Caring for Others Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Documenting/Recording Information Entering, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems Analysing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Analysing Data or Information Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events Identifying information by categorising, estimating, recognising differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Most commonly reported Work Tasks

• Document patients' histories, including identifying data, chief complaints, illnesses, previous medical or family histories, or psychosocial characteristics.
• Educate patients about health care management.
• Advise patients about therapeutic exercise and nutritional medicine regimens.
• Conduct physical examinations and physiological function tests for diagnostic purposes.
• Administer, dispense, or prescribe natural medicines, such as food or botanical extracts, herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins, nutraceuticals, and amino acids.
• Interview patients to document symptoms and health histories.
• Diagnose health conditions, based on patients' symptoms and health histories, laboratory and diagnostic radiology test results, or other physiological measurements, such as electrocardiograms and electroencephalographs.
• Administer treatments or therapies, such as homeopathy, hydrotherapy, Oriental or Ayurvedic medicine, electrotherapy, and diathermy, using physical agents including air, heat, cold, water, sound, or ultraviolet light to catalyse the body to heal itself.
• Consult with other health professionals to provide optimal patient care, referring patients to traditional health care professionals as necessary.
• Order diagnostic imaging procedures such as radiographs (x-rays), ultrasounds, mammograms, and bone densitometry tests, or refer patients to other health professionals for these procedures.

Further Information

• Herbalist - from: N.C.S. [UK]

This occupation is typically suited for people with the following Career Interests:

Investigative

The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with sophiscticated technology. These types prefer mentally stimulating environments and often pay close attention to developments in their chosen field.

Social

The Social person's interests focus on interacting with the people in their environment. In all cases, the Social person enjoys the personal contact with other people in preference to the impersonal dealings with things, data and ideas found in other groups.

Many will seek out positions where there is direct contact with the public in some advisory role, whether a receptionist or a counsellor. Social people are motivated by an interest in different types of people and like diversity in their work environments. Many are drawn towards careers in the caring professions and social welfare area, whilst others prefer teaching and other 'informing' roles.

Qualifications are essential if you wish to work as a therapist in the spa sector. Level 7 & level 8 Degree Programmes are available in related Leaisure, Tourism and Hospitality areas, See also: list of hospitality courses from getalifeintourism.

The Minimum requirements for Joining the IRH as a member qualified Herbalist are the following:

1. The completion of an approved course in Herbal Medicine. 
2. 500 hours of Clinical Experience.
3. Must be over the age of 21.

The IRH recognises the need for potential practitioners of herbal medicine to be appropriately cognisant in the history, botany, chemistry, uses, safety and development of the herbal medicine sector. 

Training & Development 

FET Centre Traineeship: Beauty Therapy, Health Service Skills, Healthcare Support, Social and Community Care, Supervisory Management in centres around Ireland NFQ Level 5-6 Search FET Courses

FET PLC Courses: Holistic Body Massage,Personal Trainer with Sports Massage, Holistic Therapies, Alternative Health & Wellbeing Therapies, Beauty & Complementary Therapies, Complementary Holistic Therapies with Yoga Teaching, Holistic and Complementary Therapies, Counselling & Psychology - Introduction courses around Ireland at NFQ Levels 5-6 Search FET PLC Courses

Apprenticeship: Beyond Advanced Healthcare Assistant Practitioner NFQ level 6, there are no specific occupational apprenticeships in this career area at present, but new apprenticeships are being developed all the time NFQ level 5-10 Search Apprenticeships

Higher Education CAO Entry: Business, Health and Leisure with Massage, Recreation and Leisure Management NFQ Levels 7-8 Search CAO courses

Professional Development Associations

Irish Therapists

Irish Massage Therapists Association

Irish Association of Master Herbalist  

Last Updated: November, 2023

Salary Range (thousands per year)* €28k - €66k

Salaries vary based on employer, location, experience, duties, and role.

Data Source(s):
Salaryexpert/ Indeed/ Glassdoor

Last Updated: July, 2024

* The lower figures typically reflect starting salaries. Higher salaries are awarded to those with greater experience and responsibility. Positions in Dublin sometimes command higher salaries.

View Salary information from Indeed.ie
Note: data not aways available

This information has been derived from the Solas National Skills Bulletin (2023).

Employment growth was strong for this occupation, particularly between 2021 and 2022. Census data shows that employment grew across all roles in this group between 2016 and 2022, with the strongest growth for pharmaceutical technicans.

The number of online job adverts for pharmaceutical technicians grew strongly in 2022 (+14%); skills in demand included, among others pharmaceutical knowledge, the ability to provide customer service & advice, and business skills, such as product sales.

A small number of employment permits were issued in 2022 for cardiac physiologists and paramedics. The available data sources do not signal any issues in relation to supply and demand for health associate professional occupations; however, if employment was to continue to increase, recruitment issues may emerge.

Therapy profs

Employment growth was below average for therapy professionals, with levels in 2022 remaining below that of 2020. Although LFS data does not allow for a detailed breakdown of employment in this group, Census data for 2016 and 2022 shows detailed employment as follows: CSO Census 2016 2022 Physiotherapists 3,362 4,372 Occupational therapists 1,929 2,765 Speech and language therapists 1,301 1,811 Therapy professionals n.e.c. 2,590 4,002 Despite the lack of overall employment growth in recent years, issues with recruitment resulted in a number of therapist roles (occupational, physiotherapists and speech and language) being added to the Critical Skills Employment Permit List in June 2022.

A total of 53 new permits were issued in 2022, primarily for physiotherapists with a small number for occupational and speech & language therapists.

The delivery of the Sláintecare report, particularly in terms of community care and mental health services, will require additional staffing in these occupations and, while a combined total of 100 additional training places are planned for occupational, physio, and speech/language therapists in Ireland and Northern Ireland’s education system, given the duration of training programmes, recruitment difficulties for these posts are unlikely to ease in the short-to-medium term. However, as employment levels are not increasing and the data does not allow for detailed analysis, it is not possible to determine if shortages exist for this occupation at present.

• Association of Registered Complimentary Health Therapists of Ireland (ARCHTI)

  • Ballydaniel, Camolin, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford
  • 087 316 8381
  • [email protected]
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