This Government acknowledges the need to increase the numbers of consultants, doctors, nurses and midwives in the public health service and it remains a priority for this Government despite a backdrop of global shortages in health professionals. The Nursing Recruitment and Retention Agreement reached last year at the Workplace Relations Commission between this Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the HSE, INMO and SIPTU Nursing provided for a number of specific measures to attract and retain nursing staff.
The Agreement committed to increasing the number of nurses and midwives by 1,224 additional permanent posts in 2017. According to the most recent figures nursing and midwifery numbers at the end of November 2017 stood at 36,616 whole time equivalents. The number of nursing posts has increased by 820 in the 12 months from end November 2016 and by over 2,500 in the four years from end November 2013 to end November 2017.
In addition to increasing the number of nursing staff, management agreed to other key measures such as extensive education and personal development opportunities for nurses and midwives to upskill including 120 Advanced Nurse Practitioner training places which are now filled. The Agreement also includes 127 promotional posts for staff nurses/midwives to Clinical Nurse/Midwife Manager 1 and a pilot pre-retirement initiative has been offered as a method of retaining the expertise of experienced nursing/midwifery staff. Following discussions at the public sector pay talks in the summer last year a number of nursing allowances were restored.
I am awaiting a report with the December 2017 figures which is due at the end of this month. However, based on information to date it appears unlikely that the target of 1,224 posts will be achieved but I can assure the Deputy that the recruitment of nurses and midwives remains a key priority for 2018.
