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Hospital Staff Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 December 2012

Wednesday, 19 December 2012

Questions (44)

Seán Crowe

Question:

44. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Health his views on the study commissioned by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation showing that significant understaffing in our public hospitals adversely affects patient care; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57015/12]

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Written answers

The information available from the study referred to by the Deputy, which was undertaken on behalf of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, is quite limited. Other studies have cited figures which suggest that Ireland has a more favourable nurse-to-patient ratio than the United Kingdom.

At present, some 1650 nurses/midwives graduate per annum from our Universities and other colleges. The Department of Health has recently completed a review of undergraduate nursing and midwifery education programmes. As part of this review an analysis of the number of student places required to ensure sufficient numbers of nurse and midwife graduates was completed. This indicates that the overall numbers of students at undergraduate level meets demand.

The Government has determined that, in line with its commitment to reduce the size of the public service, health sector employment numbers must be reduced substantially in 2013 and 2014. Spending on health services will also have to be very tightly controlled. The cumulative impact of staff reductions from this year and previous years represents a significant challenge for the health system in delivering services. The priority is to reform how health services are delivered in order to ensure a safe, more productive and cost-effective health system.

Directors of Nursing/Midwifery will continue to examine closely improvements in flexible working arrangements, changes to rosters, changes to the role of staff and other approaches to address any impact on patient safety and the quality of care. The capacity for specialist practice in nursing has been expanded in recent years with a view to ensuring high quality safe patient care. This includes developing clinical specialists, advanced practitioners and enhancing the role of staff nurses and midwives through the development of initiatives such as ordering x-rays and prescribing of medicinal products.

The Croke Park Agreement has been crucial to the health service’s ability to manage through the very difficult circumstances of recent years. The flexibility and adaptability shown by staff has meant that even with reducing staff numbers, service levels have largely been maintained and indeed performance in relation to Emergency Departments and hospital waiting lists has markedly improved.

The continued reduction in staffing increases the need for reform and the HSE is committed to fast-tracking new, innovative and more efficient ways of using reduced resources under the Croke Park Agreement.

In this regard, I have recently approved recruitment of up to 1,000 graduate nurses on two-year contracts under a Placement Scheme for Graduate Nurses and Midwives that will support the retention of qualified graduates within the Irish health system.

The HSE will be proceeding to put this scheme into effect and will be inviting applications early in 2013. Under the scheme, graduate nurses/midwives will be able to gain valuable work experience post graduation, benefiting from mentoring and skills development.

The scheme will facilitate a reduction the use of agency staffing and overtime and support service delivery.

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