Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
393. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the action being taken to ensure the availability of an adequate number of health professionals within the health services, including, but not limited to, consultants, GPs and nurses to meet the demand in all areas throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18855/23]
View answerHealth and Social Care workforce planning and ensuring an appropriate pipeline of suitably qualified healthcare professionals in Ireland is a top priority for the Government.
My department is committed to ensuring that there is an adequate number of health professionals to meet demand within the health service. As part of this commitment, the department is heavily invested in the ongoing education of healthcare staff to support recruitment and retention. Data from Health in Ireland Key Trends 2022 (DOH 2022) shows that students graduating as both undergraduate and postgraduate in medicine, pharmacy and nursing and midwifery increased consistently between 2014 and 2020, with the total number of students graduating increasing by 30% (from 4,841 to 6,264).
Department of Health officials engage on an ongoing basis with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that we train enough graduates with the skills necessary to support the delivery of health and social care services and to develop a strategic approach to workforce planning for the health sector.
There has been a significant growth in publicly funded doctors in training, non-training scheme doctors and consultants averaging 5.6% over the last five years. The Department have been working closely with the HSE, and Postgraduate Training Bodies to increase the number of training places and Consultant posts available within the health service in line with workforce planning projections. Recent increases include:
• The total number of interns increased by 12% over the last five years period, the IST (Initial Specialist Training) intake increased by 21% and the HST intake increased by 27%
• The number of doctors in training in Ireland now stands at 4,167 (excluding interns), an increase of 4.5% since 2021/22.
• The number of Year 1 Higher Specialist Training (HST) posts increased by 10%, from 573 in 2021/22 to 629 in 2022/23.
• The number of specialists exiting postgraduate training (including GPs) increased from 388 in 2021 to 452 for 2022.
• 33% expansion of GP training programme over the last six years. The number of GP training places is based on the commitment to reach an intake of 350 annually into the general training programme. There is a plan in place, agreed with the ICGP, to reach this number by 2026.
• The number of approved Consultant posts increased by 9% from 3,797 in 2021 to 4,152 in 2022.
In relation to the availability of GPs, the Government has undertaken several measures to improve the number of GPs working in the State and ensure patients continue to have access to GP services across the country. Under the 2019 GP Agreement additional annual expenditure provided for general practice has been increased now by €211.6m. This provides for significant increases in capitation fees for participating GMS GPs, and new fees and subsidies for additional services. Improvements to GP’s maternity and paternity leave arrangements and a support for GPs in disadvantaged urban areas, have also been provided for. In addition, the enhanced supports package for rural GP practices was increased by 10%.
There has been unprecedented growth in all staff categories in the Health Service over recent years. In February the total workforce stands at 139,186 WTE. This is an increase of 1,441 WTE from December figures. In 2020, 2021 and 2022 the HSE achieved the three largest increases in the workforce since the foundation of the HSE. This expansion is continuing in 2023 with an expected growth of 6,000 WTE. There are 19,369 more WTE working in our health service than there were at the beginning of 2020. This includes 6,201 nurses and midwives; 3,047 health and social care professionals; and 1,805 doctors and dentists. Work is ongoing to improve retention policies, speed up recruitment processes and to add more educational places to expand the workforce to the largest extent possible.
The HSE are targeting all nursing, midwifery and health and social care graduates across all Irish colleges with the offer of permanent positions in the HSE, together with competitive relocation packages to entice our graduates from previous years home.
The HSE is expanding its international reach with innovations such as the development of the Medical Consultant Hub which is promoted internationally and also developing attraction strategies specific to each grade category and the strategies will include promoting the full extent of career opportunities available within the HSE.
