asked the Minister for Health what steps are being taken as a matter of urgency to meet the present shortage of qualified nurses and, in particular, to encourage married nurses to return to the practice of their profession.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Recruitment of Nurses.
7.
As I indicated yesterday in reply to a question from Deputy Clinton, special measures have been taken for the stimulation of nursing recruitment in the four local health authority areas where a shortage of nursing staff has been encountered.
These concessions include the award to permanent nurses of special salary increments, up to a maximum of five, in respect of post-graduate experience gained elsewhere. Also, in the four areas of special difficulty, married nurses are now awarded normal annual increments up to the maximum of the salary scale whereas heretofore, being temporary, they stayed at the minimum irrespective of the length of their service.
It is a matter for decision by other health authorities, depending on local conditions, whether these concessions should be applied in their functional areas.
The Deputy is doubtless aware that the recent arbitration award sanctioned for nurses raised the maximum of the salary scale for a staff nurse, the basic grade, from £879 to £985 a year retrospective to 1st June, 1968. In addition, nurses are now paid two special long service increments of £35 each on completion of 15 and 20 years service, thus raising the maximum annual salary to £1,055 at that stage. Nurses engaged on midwifery, paediatrics, fever, TB and theatre duties have had their allowances increased from £22 and £28 to £40 a year. Again, a new allowance of £40 a year is now payable to nurses engaged on duties in geriatric units, long-stay hospitals, county homes and intensive care units.