Written Answers - Hospital Services.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
448
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
his plans to ensure the adequate provision of the required staffing levels in all disciplines throughout the hospital and health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7411/03]
There are a number of important initiatives currently under way to meet the human resource needs of the health services. The implementation of these developments will make an important contribution to strengthening the capacity of the health services to recruit and retain the high calibre professionals required in all disciplines to fill challenging and demanding roles central to the delivery of quality health and social care services to the public. Before setting out these initiatives in detail, it is important to emphasise that staffing requirements overall must be viewed in the context of the very substantial increases in employment levels achieved in the health services over the past several years.
There were a total of 92,996 persons in wholetime equivalent (WTE) terms recorded in the annual health service personnel census at the end of 2001. This is an increase of nearly 30,000 staff or 47% since 1997. Information in respect of the end-2002 position is currently being compiled by my Department and is likely to disclose further increases in staffing levels.
The Deputy may wish to note that comparing employment levels at end-2001 to those five years previously, there were nearly 28% (+6,845) more nurses, 34% more medical/dental personnel (+1,601) and almost two thirds more health and social care professionals (+3,652) employed in the health services. This is a considerable achievement which reflects the success of the steps taken to increase the attractiveness of employment in the health services and also the ongoing measures being taken in areas experiencing shortages of fully trained and qualified staff.
Developments such as pay increases, improvements in career structure and enhanced opportunities for professional and career development have all played a part in increasing staffing levels. The implementation of the pay recommendations of the Public Service Benchmarking Body will make a further contribution to the recruitment and improved retention. Overseas recruitment by health agencies has, over recent years, also contributed significantly to meeting the workforce needs of the health services, particularly in professions where qualified staff are scarce.
As mentioned earlier, specific human resource initiatives are under way in a number of key areas which have expanded considerably over recent years. For example, with regard to the therapy professions, the report Current and Future Demand Conditions in the Labour Market for Certain Professional Therapists commissioned by my Department from Dr. Peter Bacon and Associates, concluded that a major expansion was essential in the numbers of therapists and this required a very significant increase in therapy training places in order to meet the long-term requirements of the health services. Significant progress has been achieved in boosting the number of therapy training places in line with the recommendations of that report. In May 2002, I announced, in conjunction with the Minister for Education and Science, an additional 175 therapy training places in physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy to achieve the recommended increase in the number of therapists over the next decade recommended in the report. The first intake into the occupational therapy and speech and language therapy courses in the University of Limerick, University College, Cork, and the National University of Ireland, Galway, is planned to take place later this year, while 28 students commenced the new physiotherapy course in the University of Limerick in the 2002-03 academic year.
In the nursing area, a comprehensive report on the nursing and midwifery resource Towards Workforce Planning was published in July 2002. Developments in relation to the education of nurses have coincided with a dramatic increase in the number of places available for nursing students. This year, 1,640 nursing training places are available, 58% higher than the number available in 1998. In addition, there are now in excess of 800 places available on specialist post-graduate courses including accident and emergency, coronary care and oncology. A comprehensive package of incentives, including payment of fees and other financial supports, are available to nurses undertaking these courses.
The report of the National Task Force on Medical Staffing, which is currently being completed, will make an important contribution to planning how the health services should provide a high quality, consultant-provided service.
I am conscious that, in view of the large numbers of staff employed and the unique nature of the services being delivered, it is imperative that a coherent, strategic approach to workforce and human resource planning be developed further and aligned closely with strategic objectives and the service planning process. Planning for the development of new and existing services in the future must be soundly based on a robust and realistic assessment of the skill and human resource needs to deliver these services. The issue of skill mix is also of paramount importance in meeting human resource needs. Enhanced skills mix by matching skills to service needs benefits patients and empowers health personnel to reach their full potential and optimise their contribution to quality care.
In addition I am aware of the need for effective planning to ensure the continued availability of a qualified, competent workforce, it is also necessary for the health service to become an employer of choice to further improve potential for recruitment and retention. While the record number of staff recruited into the health service in the past number of years shows the progress that has been made in this regard, even more can be achieved. Having recruited and developed such a large number of staff over recent years, it is a priority to retain them by offering a challenging and rewarding career path. In the human capital and skills intensive health sector, retention has been identified as a key issue in better people management. The implementation of the action plan for people management has a crucial role to play in improving retention and reducing turnover of skilled staff, while providing the opportunity for each member of the workforce in the health sector, to maximise their contribution to the creation of a quality and patient-centred health service in line with the objectives of the health strategy.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
449
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the situation in regard to Beaumont Hospital; if he has proposals or plans to identify the cause or causes of any disruption in the delivery of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7412/03]
The Eastern Regional Health Authority is charged with responsibility for commissioning health and personal social services on behalf of the population of the region, and also on behalf of those outside the region who are referred for specialist treatment.
The Eastern Regional Health Authority is currently in discussions with all providers within its region, including the major acute hospitals in the Dublin area, to finalise the level of services to be provided in 2003. It will be a matter for the authority and each of the respective hospitals to agree on any specific measures to be taken to ensure that each hospital continues to maintain a high level of service within available resources. I want to emphasise that none of the proposals contained in the leaked document on Beaumont Hospital, referred to recently in the House, has been agreed with the ERHA. The provider discussions are expected to conclude in the near future and I have asked the ERHA to report back to my Department on the outcome.
The authority accepts that 2003 will be a difficult year for the acute hospitals sector, as increases in funding over last year will be limited. There is a clear need for tight management of cost and activity in 2003 in the context of working within available resources.
Provision has been made in the authority's service plan for the completion of major initiatives which commenced in 2002, such as the introduction under the Government's bed capacity initiative of over 300 additional acute hospital beds in the region, including an additional 35 beds at Beaumont Hospital. The revenue funding for these additional beds has already been notified to the authority. The hospital has advised that these additional beds will come on stream in the near future.
The authority has received additional funding of €9.450 million to support the consolidation of acute hospital services. This funding will be allocated among the service providers to assist in meeting the increased costs of current levels of activity, and to fund service developments initiated in 2002. This funding includes an additional €1.4 million for the continued provision of national speciality services.
Additional funding has also been provided to meet the cost associated with the recruitment of additional consultants in emergency medicine and consultant anaesthetists, and for cancer, cardiology and renal dialysis services.
Question No. 450 answered with Question No. 439.
