I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 23, 54, 61, 91, 106 and 151 together.
The management organisation and provision of the health services referred to by the Deputies are the responsibility of the various health agencies involved in the delivery of such services, that is, health boards, voluntary hospitals and mental handicap agencies. This necessarily involves the identification of staffing requirements and deployment of staff having regard to the particular service needs and within the overall context of the budgetary and employment constraints which apply.
Under existing procedures, it is a matter for each agency to identify and submit to my Department, on a monthly basis, prioritised applications for the filling on a permanent basis of all new and replacement posts. My Department's review of the proposals is undertaken bearing in mind the service and personnel criteria, with particular regard to the availability of financial resources.
In relation to staffing levels generally in the health service, the following table, based on information extracted from the annual Health Service Personnel Census, shows the growth in health sector employment arising from the controlled implementation of Government approved health service initiatives between 1988 and 1992.
Year
|
Employment (Wholetime Equivalent)
|
1988
|
56,357
|
1989
|
58,438
|
1990
|
59,850
|
1991
|
59,497*
|
1992
|
60,459*
|
*With effect from 1991, the inclusion in the Census of employment in commercial and noncommercial state bodies (1,124 in 1991 and 1,154 in 1992) under the aegis of the Department of Health ceased.
The December 1993 census is currently being compiled. It is anticipated that, when completed, it will reflect over 1,200 additional posts arising from approved development, across a range of services, including acute hospital services, child care services, services for the elderly and the mentally handicapped, dental services and implementation of EC Directives on student nursing and on food hygiene. This developmental process and enhancement of existing service will continue this year and, it is expected, will result in a further growth in health service employment in excess of 1,600 posts.