Written Answers. - Hospital Services.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
14
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
if his attention has been drawn to the staff shortages in various disciplines in the health services; if he has identified the most vulnerable areas in this regard; if he has any proposals to address the issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18421/00]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
168
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
if his attention has been drawn to the recently expressed concerns about staffing in the health services, with particular reference to hospitals; the plans or proposals he has to address the issues highlighted; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18753/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 168 together.
The identification of staffing requirements and the deployment of staff within the overall financial and employment levels set by my Department is a matter for the management of each health agency. There are particular staffing difficulties being faced by the health services at present across a wide range of disciplines, particularly in the medical, allied health professional and nursing areas. Action is being taken on a number of fronts to address these difficulties.
The medical staffing of hospitals is currently being addressed by the medical manpower forum. With particular regard to Non-Consultant Hospital Doctors, proposals have been put to the NCHD Committee of the Irish Medical Organisation which include a very significant improvement in the overtime rates paid to NCHDs. In addition a senior manager is to be appointed in each major hospital with specific responsibility to manage NCHD hours. A concerted effort is to be made to improve the working conditions and to reduce NCHD working hours with particular attention to long periods of continuous duty. There is also a substantial training package to be put in place amounting to £10 million per annum. New procedures are to be put in place to deal with NCHD grievances at local level. Relocation expenses are also to be paid to NCHDs who have to move residence as part of formal rotation schemes. I am hopeful that this substantial package will aid the recruitment and retention of NCHDs.
I would also like also to point out that some health boards have been actively trying to recruit junior hospital doctors from countries such as Germany where there is a surplus of NCHDs. I am also aware that health boards have been attending Medical Employment Fairs to encourage junior hospital doctors to work in Ireland.
In relation to the allied health professionals, it is clear that the balance of supply and demand for the three therapy grades, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists needs to be reviewed. I asked the Minister for Education and Science to investigate the possibility of increasing the number of graduates taken into the courses for speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. As a result of this request, an additional 18 places have been secured from October 2000. Talks are also ongoing to ascertain if additional places can be made available to students on courses in Northern Ireland. I have agreed the terms of reference for a workforce planning study for these three therapy grades and this is a priority issue for my Department. A parallel workforce planning study dealing with chiropodists, dieticians and orthoptists will also be commissioned. An interdepartmental steering group has been established to commission these studies.
I am aware that difficulties are being experienced in other areas of the allied health professions, such as care workers and physiological measurement technicians. I intend to refer these matters to the health services skills group, established under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
I am also pleased to say that from October 1999, the number of entrants to the three approved medical laboratory science courses in Ireland has been increased by 20 per annum. I have also funded the creation of a new student medical laboratory technician post. Entrants to this grade have completed a degree programme but lack the required clinical placement. This programme addresses that lack by providing a one year placement. The first of these new graduates will have completed their training by May 2000 and will be available for employment once accepted by the academy for medical laboratory science.
A service review of psychology services in the health boards is underway, with manpower planning one of the three main areas for action.
In the nursing area, the difficulties largely relate to the greater Dublin area. Directors of nursing in the Eastern Regional Health Authority have developed a human resource strategy to address the shortages issue. An action plan for implementation of the report's recommendations is being considered by the ERHA at the moment and will be discussed with my Department.
Agreement has been reached between the relevant Departments on a procedure for fast-tracking immigration clearances and work permits for non-EU nurses. Data maintained by An Bord Altranais indicates that in recent years there has been a net inflow of nurses to Ireland. Inflow figures for 1999 show a dramatic increase to 3,181 in the number of nurses seeking to register here.
Employers have stepped-up their recruitment from abroad with significant success. For example, the Mater Hospital anticipates that approximately 70 nurses from the Philippines will be employed in the near future while Tallaght Hospital has made 92 job offers during its international recruitment drive, with the first recruits expected in early July.
These initiatives represent a very significant effort on the part of my Department to improve the staffing situation in hospitals.
