James Breen
Question:26 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Health and Children when staffing levels will be increased at St. Joseph's Hospital, Ennis, County Clare. [6706/03]
Written Answers - Hospital Staff.
Responsibility for the provision of services in County Clare rests with the MWHB. In 2001 the board agreed that the staffing levels at St. Joseph's elderly care hospital, Ennis warranted review. Management and staff agreed to commission an independent consultant to carry out this examination. Since the review significant developments in staffing have taken place. An additional 20 staff nurse posts and 4.5 attendants have been appointed in the past two years. Non-nursing posts were also provided in 2002 for the main kitchen and new canteen areas. The additional staffing has allowed for the implementation of a new roster for each unit. This includes a second nurse on night duty on the three larger units. Twilight nurses are also on duty in the smaller units in addition to the nurse on night duty. There has been an increase in staff numbers on all units and wards for day duty. All units and wards are now managed by a clinical nurse manager 2 and a clinical nurse manager 1. New rosters were introduced on a phased basis in 2002. The wards are now self managed in terms of annual leave and other leave to ensure continuity of patient care.
My Department is committed to improving staffing levels at St. Joseph's hospital. In 2001 additional funding of €4.54 million was provided to the MWHB. Of this €0.22 million was provided for the elderly mentally infirm unit at the hospital, €0.51 million was provided to improve staff ratios and €0.18 million was provided for additional staffing. The board received additional funding of €7.073 million in 2002. Of this €0.305 million was provided for additional staffing at St. Joseph's.
The dementia unit at St. Joseph's hospital is scheduled to open mid-2003. Fifteen nursing and non-nursing staff posts have been agreed between the management at the hospital and the relevant unions. I am informed by the board that the recruitment process for these posts is currently ongoing.
The additional staffing levels in the hospital have allowed the staff to undertake an ISO quality management project. All departments in the hospital are working together in a partnership approach to achieve this certification by September. The increased level of staff has also facilitated the introduction of a complete new nursing documentation system in the hospital. This will be introduced on a phased basis commencing in September. These initiatives will serve to improve the quality of care provided to the patients at St. Joseph's.