The numbers employed across the public service must be reduced in order to meet its fiscal and budgetary targets. Currently there are 34,300 nurses employed. This number has to be considered in conjunction with the numbers of Health Care Assistants which now stands at 2,878. In order to mitigate the impact on frontline services of the reduction in employment numbers, the priority is to reform how health services are delivered in order to ensure a more productive and cost effective health system. The additional working hours provided for in the Haddington Road Agreement are a pivotal element in this regard. The increase in nursing hours available under the Agreement equates to nearly 1,400 additional nurses.
The Agreement also includes the Graduate Nurse/Midwife Initiative. This supports the retention of graduate nurses and midwives within the Irish health system and enables them to gain valuable work experience and development opportunities post-graduation. Participants will have access to a variety of care settings while gaining clinical experience. Up to 1,000 two-year contracts are being made available under this initiative and about half of these have been filled. A Support Staff Intern Scheme also allows for the recruitment of a similar number of staff. The scheme facilitates the intern achieving the appropriate FETAC level 5 qualification, which will be an invaluable asset in their professional development. I have been advised that the HSE is processing large numbers of Intern applications at present. Once in situ these interns will provide vital support to healthcare professionals, including nurses, in the healthcare setting.
Ireland possesses an exceptionally well trained nursing profession. Indeed Ireland was to the fore in recognising the relationship between nurse education and patient safety and was one of the first countries in the world to embrace an all graduate profession with the introduction of the under-graduate pre-registration programme in 2002. This also has to be taken into account when considering nursing numbers. I have embarked on a significant reform programme in the health services, including the establishment of the Hospital Groups. This and other initiatives in train will greatly assist in the optimum use of resources including nursing staff across hospital groups.
