In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government to a significant strengthening of primary care services, the National Service Plan 2013 provided for additional funding of €20 million to support the recruitment of prioritised front-line primary care team posts and enhance the capacity of the primary care sector (€18.525m for the recruitment of 264.5 posts to support Primary Care Teams and €1.475m to support the development and enhancement of Community Intervention Teams). The additional primary care posts included Public Health Nurses (PHNs), Registered General Nurses (RGNs), Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs).
The breakdown of the 264.5 posts by HSE Region is as follows:
|
HSE REGION
|
PHN
|
RGN
|
PHYSIO
|
OT
|
SLT
|
TOTAL
|
|
Dublin Mid Leinster
|
38.5
|
8.5
|
24.0
|
12.5
|
23.0
|
106.5
|
|
Dublin North East
|
12.0
|
9.5
|
14.5
|
9.0
|
14.5
|
59.5
|
|
South
|
12.0
|
8.5
|
7.0
|
18.0
|
6.5
|
52.0
|
|
West
|
9.5
|
14.0
|
2.0
|
13.0
|
8.0
|
46.5
|
|
TOTAL
|
72.0
|
40.5
|
47.5
|
52.5
|
52.0
|
264.5
|
Primary Notifications issued to proceed with the filling of the above posts on 5th April 2013.
As at the 6th January 2014, a total of 160.0 (60%) of the posts have been filled. The following table sets out the geographical spread of these posts across the four regions.
|
HSE REGION
|
PHN
|
RGN
|
PHYSIO
|
OT
|
SLT
|
TOTAL
|
|
Dublin Mid Leinster
|
15.0
|
4.0
|
10.5
|
10.0
|
21.5
|
61.0
|
|
Dublin North East
|
7.5
|
6.5
|
2.5
|
7.5
|
12.0
|
36.0
|
|
South
|
2.0
|
3.5
|
4.0
|
17.0
|
2.0
|
28.5
|
|
West
|
4.0
|
11.0
|
1.5
|
12.0
|
6.0
|
34.5
|
|
TOTAL
|
28.5
|
25.0
|
18.5
|
46.5
|
41.5
|
160.0
|
A further 51.0 posts have been offered to candidates with start dates to be agreed and the remaining 53.5 posts are still going through the recruitment process, with the HSE's National Recruitment Service organising additional recruitment competitions to enable filling of these posts. A Resource Allocation Model was developed and the posts were allocated based on the analysis carried out by the HSE in identifying areas of deprivation and need. The allocation and distribution of the posts was based on bringing each Integrated Service Area, where staffing is below the national average, towards the national average.
The HSE is committed to having all the posts filled and in place by the 2nd quarter of 2014 and funding has been drawn down for all the posts filled to date.
