Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 9 Oct 2002

Vol. 554 No. 5

Written Answers. - Health Care Workers.

Liz McManus

Question:

929 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of professionally qualified social workers employed by health boards and voluntary organisations who are caring for children, the mentally ill, the disabled and the elderly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15510/02]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

The number of professionally qualified social workers employed in the health service in health boards, voluntary hospitals and the intellectual disability sector are as follows. Information is not collected centrally on the number of social workers specifically assigned to particular categories of clients.

	Grade	Total WTE excl. Career Break
Health Boards	Social Worker, Head	14
	Social Worker, Medical	35
	Social Worker (Non-professionally qualified)	258
	Social Worker, Principal	89
	Social Worker, Professionally Qualified	764
	Social Worker, Psychiatric	16
	Social Worker, Senior Medical	2
	Social Worker, Team Leader	175
	Total	1,353
Mentally	Social Worker, Head	3
HandicappedHomes	Social Worker, (Non-professionally qualified)	15
	Social Worker, Principal	33
	Social Worker, Professionally Qualified	60
	Social Worker, Psychiatric	13
	Social Worker, Senior Medical	4
	Social Worker, Team Leader	12
	Social Worker, Practitioner, Senior	1
	Total	139
Voluntary	Social Worker, Head	6
Hospitals	Social Worker, Medical	113
	Social Worker (Non-professionally qualified)	5
	Social Worker, Principal	13
	Social Worker, Professionally Qualified	9
	Social Worker, Psychiatric	1
	Social Worker, Senior Medical	35
	Social Worker, Single Handed	3
	Social Worker, Team Leader	6
	Total	190

Note: All figures are expressed as wholetime equivalents.