Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
573. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the manner in which additional clinical training places are arranged and co-ordinated to create capacity for additional clinical placements in health and social care disciplines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17436/22]
View answerThe provision of clinical placements is a matter arranged by individual HEIs and the HSE and other healthcare providers. My Department does not have a direct role in the provision of placements.
From a nursing and midwifery perspective, there are Local Joint Working Groups (LJWGs) in place across the country aligned to each HEI/University and the associated healthcare partner area. These LJWGs provide the governance for the undergraduate nursing and midwifery training and are composed of representatives from both HEIs/Universities and health service. The LJWGs meet regularly throughout the year and include discussions/negotiations on capacity to increase student intake. If agreement is reached between the partners to increase the intake, the information is submitted to the Higher Education Authority. The HEA and my Department will link with the DoH regarding the proposed increase in student intake. The Department of Health will subsequently liaise with the HSE in relation to required additional supports such as Clinical Placement Co-ordinators. In parallel, exercises are ongoing at LJWG level to source and develop new clinical sites to further enhance the capacity to accommodate additional students.
In the recently published report of the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery (2022), it is recognised that the projected increase in nursing and midwifery student numbers will require planning in relation to academic, clinical staffing and placements resources.
In relation to the Health and Social Care Professions, the HSE is required to facilitate practice education under Section 7 (4) the Health Act 2004.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related issues, the HSE has identified critical shortages in practice placements for Health and Social Care Professional students. The focus of the HSE is on supporting practice placement for the domestic supply.
The Health and Social Care Professional education programmes report significant challenges in securing sufficient practice placements for Health and Social Care Professional entry to practice programmes, without which Health and Social Care Professional students cannot complete their programmes, graduate and join the workforce.
The HSE is working with key stakeholders to identify potential solutions and the resources required to address issues relating to sufficient supply of practice placements for Health and Social Care Professionals. The priority of the HSE is to work with the Higher Education Institutes to enable the placements required for the progression of students through their educational programmes and to enable completion, graduation, and registration of the final year students to ensure timely supply of health and Social Care Professionals into the workforce.
My officials are actively engaging with the Department of Health on determining the medium and long term skills needs of the healthcare services, and the role which the further and higher education sector can play in meeting those skills needs. Capacity for additional placements will form part of this conversation, and where additional places in health and social care disciplines are created it will be ensured that corresponding placements are made available. I will ensure that there is continued engagement with all stakeholders to ensure that we deliver graduates with the skills necessary to support our healthcare system and support the strategic workforce planning by the health and social care sector.
