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Prison Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 February 2012

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Questions (451, 452)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

496 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of nurses and medical orderlies employed in each of the prisons here. [7764/12]

View answer

Written answers

I can advise the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service provides general healthcare services for the assessment, treatment and care of prisoners comparable to that available to those entitled to General Medical Scheme services in the community and which are appropriate to the prison setting. Primary care is the model of care through which healthcare is delivered; it is the linchpin of the prison healthcare system. The primary care service is provided using a multidisciplinary model and intra-disciplinary working processes and strives to provide proactive healthcare with a focus on health awareness and preventative medicine.

Each prison has a complement of nurses, medical orderlies and attendance by a prison doctor commensurate with the healthcare needs and prison population of the institution. The Irish Prison Service currently employs 3 full-time and 15 part-time doctors. In addition, a total of 135.5 nursing staff are employed, details of which are set out in the table:

Prison

Complex Nurse Managers

Chief Nurse Officers

Nurse Officer

Medical Orderly

Arbour Hill

1

5

Castlerea

1

8.5

Cloverhill

1*

1

17

Cork

1

4

2

Dóchas

1

6

1

Limerick

1

4

2

Loughan

2

Midlands

1**

1

14

Mountjoy

1***

1

24

2

Portlaoise

1

7

Shelton

2

St. Pat’s

1

6

2

Training Unit

1

Wheatfield

1

11

1

Total

3

11

111.5

10

*Complex Nurse Manager covering Wheatfield and Cloverhill Prisons

**Complex Nurse Manager covering Portlaoise and Midlands Prisons.

***Complex Nurse Manager covering Mountjoy/St. Patrick's Institution/Dóchas and the Training Unit.

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

497 Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prison medical staff who have retired this month. [7765/12]

View answer

I have been advised by the Irish Prison Service that one nurse officer intends to retire with effect from 28 February, 2012.

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