Vol. 522 No. 2
235 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of qualified nurses that are required to fill present vacancies within the health services which are causing ward closures and further extensions to waiting lists; the reason so many nurses are on temporary employment; if there are enough people being trained for nursing here to supply the need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18185/00]
It is not possible to be definitive as to the total nursing complement required to provide adequate staffing for hospitals. The Commission on Nursing recommended that the Department of Health and Children, health service providers and nursing organisations examine the development of appropriate systems to determine nursing staffing levels. The need to address skill mix issues was also highlighted in the Commission on Nursing report. Both of these recommendations are included in the priority action plan agreed with the Nursing Alliance as part of the settlement of the nurses' strike. It has been agreed that these issues will be addressed by a working group representative of nursing unions and health service employers. This working group held its first meeting on 15 May 2000.
The results of the most recent survey of nursing vacancies carried out by the Health Service Employers Agency, HSEA, confirmed again that there is not a nation-wide problem regarding the availability of nurses and that difficulties largely relate to the greater Dublin area.
It should also be noted that nurse recruitment is carried out on an ongoing basis in most hospitals, and the level of vacancies fluctuate accordingly. At any given time, significant numbers of nurses would be in the process of being appointed by employers or moving from one employment to another.
There were 3,236 temporary whole time equivalent nursing posts at 31 December 1998 according to the Department's health service personnel census. This figure represented 12.1% of the total number. While the 1999 census is not yet to hand, I can inform the Deputy that a significant number of temporary posts were converted to permanent positions during 1999 under phase two of the conversion process outlined in the 1997 nurses' pay agreement. Under this process temporary nurses who had one year's continuous wholetime service with their employer at 1 June 1998 or who had worked a minimum of 4,000 hours in the six years prior to 1 June 1998 and were available for work on a full-time or part-time basis were eligible to compete.
Where the number of eligible applicants exceeded the number of vacancies-posts which could be filled-converted, applicants were issued with letters of comfort and offered permanent appointments as vacancies-opportunities arise. Health services management and unions are in agreement that the volume of temporary employment should be reduced to a minimum consistent with operational requirements.
While the recruitment and retention of nurses is primarily a matter for individual employers, initiatives have been taken or are being progressed with a view to stabilising the situation and, where possible, improving it.
236 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many women who work as nurses have suffered from long-term back or hip injuries because of heavy lifting and other physical work; the compensation open to these nurses and former nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18186/00]
The Health and Safety Authority has overall responsibility for advising on and enforcing health and safety legislation and regulations. Health agencies, as with all other employers, have the responsibility for ensuring workplace health and safety. Health agencies need to be aware of the importance of their responsibilities under health and safety legislation. The Health and Safety Authority promote their common objectives in the area of workplace health and safety. The Health and Safety Authority will work with health agencies to identify and prioritise the principal factors affecting safety and health in the health sector and encourage and support the development of good practices. The question of health and safety provisions is essentially one for the individual agencies to deal with on a day to day basis within their annual determination, service planning process and legal requirements under the health and safety Acts.
The Health and Safety Authority has constantly highlighted – for example, annual reports, advisory committee on the health services sector – the risks involved in heavy lifting. They have been working with the health services employers to identify the hazards, and minimise the risks involved in patient handling. For example, they have produced a guide intended to assist those involved with, and responsible for, patient handling in the health care sector, Caring with Minimal Lifting. In addition, employers carry out a programme of training in this area.
As part of the annual allocation of funding to health agencies I have made resources available to supplement health and safety initiatives which are being undertaken at local level by health boards, hospitals and mental handicap homes. A proportion of this health and safety funding is used to provide training and equipment in the area of safe manual handling. While there is no specific compensation scheme for health care workers in the case outlined by the Deputy, as you can see from the above every effort is made by health service employers to minimise the development of injuries through training, the provision of appropriate equipment and the availability of an occupational health service.
