Richard Bruton
Question:122 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Health if he will outline (1) the number of whole-time equivalent public health nurses now employed, classified by health board area and (2) the way these figures compare with 1987.
Written Answers. - Public Health Nurse Statistics.
The data requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tabular statement:
|
Health Board |
1987 |
1990 |
Comparison |
|
Eastern |
454 |
429 |
-25 |
|
Midland |
98 |
94 |
-4 |
|
Mid-Western |
120 |
110 |
-10 |
|
North-Eastern |
117 |
119 |
+2 |
|
North-Western |
105 |
105 |
0 |
|
South-Eastern |
156 |
145 |
-11 |
|
Southern |
151 |
182 |
+31 |
|
Western |
169 |
174 |
+5 |
|
Total |
1,370 |
1,358 |
-12 |
Comparable data in respect of 1991 will be available following completion of my Department's health services personnel census on 31 December 1991.
While the data above reflect a marginal reduction in the number of public health nurses employed in 1990 compared to 1987, as the Deputy will be aware from the data already given to him, the December 1990 level reflected a significant increase in employment over numbers of public health nurses employed in 1988-89.
In addition there has been an expansion in various other categories of staff working in the community in specific programmes over this period. Examples include social workers, home helps and community based psychiatric nurses.