Michael McDowell
Question:48 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Health the number of consultant posts that are vacant in public hospitals; and the length of time of these vacancies.
Written Answers. - Public Hospitals Vacancies.
Comhairle na nOspidéal has statutory responsibility regulating the number and type of consultant appointments. The latest statistics from the Comhairle as at 1 January 1994 indicate that there are 121 vacant posts of which 100 are filled on a temporary/locum basis.
The vacant posts are broken down as follows: 62 vacant approved posts which are in the process of being filled on a permanent basis; 22 posts under consideration by Comhairle or cleared for funding by my Department; 37 posts which are known to be vacant but where either an application has not been submitted to Comhairle or financial clearance has not been given by my Department.
The length of time these posts are vacant varies considerably and can depend on a number of factors. These relate to matters of local or Comhairle concern such as restructuring of posts or specialties or alternatively, the difficulty may arise at recruitment stage where competition fails to produce qualified or suitable candidates. Even when the competition produces a candidate suitable for appointment, there may be a further delay before the new consultant takes up the post.