Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004
17 Mr. Durkan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the extent to which steps have or will be taken to ensure the provision of adequate medical, surgical and nursing staff to facilitate the delivery of the degree of services required by the public; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31585/04]
View answerAs I have indicated previously, responsibility for the management of the workforce in a given region lies exclusively with the chief executive officer of relevant health board-authority. However, in order to improve recruitment and retention prospects my Department has put in place a number of important initiatives to meet the human resource needs of the health services.
Specific human resources initiatives in key areas such as pay rates, improvements in career structure and enhanced opportunities for professional and career development have and will play a part in increasing staffing levels. Overseas recruitment by health agencies has, over recent years, also contributed significantly to meeting the workforce needs of the health services, particularly in the medical, surgical and nursing professions.
The Department of Health and Children has made substantial investment in consultant numbers in recent years. In the past five years the number of consultant posts in Ireland has increased by 31% to 1,824 posts at 1 January 2004. The current number of permanent consultant posts approved by Comhairle na nOspidéal is 1,912. Between 1993 and 1 January 2004 there was a 56% increase in consultant posts. This has included significant investment in consultant staffing in regional hospitals. I expect this increase to continue.
In the nursing area, the recruitment and retention of adequate numbers of staff has been a concern of the Government. A number of substantial measures have been introduced in recent years. The number of nurse training places has been increased by 70% since 1998 to 1,640 from 2002 onwards. The promotional structure within nursing has been substantially improved. Some 1,600 clinical nurse specialist and advanced nurse practitioner posts have been created. The Department of Health and Children has also introduced a scheme of flexible working arrangements for nurses and midwives. In addition, a comprehensive range of financial supports have been introduced to support nurses in pursuing part-time degrees and specialist courses, including "back to practice" courses.
My Department gave approval in late 2003 to the rollout, on a national basis, of the health care assistant training programme. The main objective of the programme is to upskill health care assistants to enable them to take on a wider range of duties. This frees up nursing resources to concentrate on exclusively nursing tasks.
Given the large numbers of staff employed and the unique nature of the services being delivered, a coherent, strategic approach to workforce and human resource planning needs to be developed further. This should be 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. Enhanced skills mix by matching skills to service needs benefits patients and empowers health personnel to reach their full potential. This optimises their contribution to quality care. The continued implementation of the action plan for people management has a crucial role to play in improving retention and reducing the turnover of skilled staff. The Health Service Executive will have a central role to play in the development of an integrated workforce planning strategy for the health sector.
18 Mr. Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the action she is taking to cater for Alzheimer’s patients in the Western Health Board region; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31836/04]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the provision of health services in this case, is in the first instance, the responsibility of the Western Health Board.
The board has advised my Department that residential services are provided throughout the board's area in the community nursing units and long-stay hospitals. In addition, specialist residential facilities are available in St Brigid's Hospital, Ballinasloe, St Brendan's Hospital, Loughrea and St. Anne's Unit, Castlebar. Community based services are provided throughout the board's area through assessment and support by nursing staff and also through the provision of day care services. Respite services are provided in the board's community nursing units and long-stay units where there are approximately 47 beds allocated for the provision of respite care.
Two consultant psychiatrists of old age have been appointed, one in 2003 to Mayo Mental Health Services and one in 2004 to West Galway Mental Health Services. The board has established a project team to prepare a project brief for the development of a 12 bedded unit, within Our Lady's Unit in the Sacred Heart Hospital, Roscommon. Following completion of the project brief, the board will be seeking approval from my Department to appoint a design team for this project. The board has included the provision of a dementia unit in Merlin Park Hospital, Galway in its schedule of major capital projects submitted to my Department for funding, The West of Ireland Alzheimer Foundation, which is grant aided by the board through section 65 funding, provides the services throughout Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. Long-stay residential facilities and respite care are provided at Maryfield House, Athenry, County Galway, which caters for 21 patients. Respite care and day care facilities are provided in Marion House, Ballindine, County Mayo, which has 12 respite beds and an annual throughput of over 100 service users. The foundation also provides an in-home support service where trained staff visit the Alzheimer patients' homes on an ongoing basis to provide respite to carers. In addition, the foundation facilitates and supports carer support groups throughout the Western Health Board region. Grant aid amounting to €555,283 has been approved for the foundation in 2004. The board is currently in discussion with the West of Ireland Alzheimer Foundation for the provision of a facility in Galway city for Alzheimer patients.
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland is also supported by the board through section 65 funding and the grant approved for 2004 amounts to €206,890. Services provided by the society throughout the board's area include home care services, day care services, advice and information.
