Frances Fitzgerald
Ceist:82 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the reason there has only been one nurse instead of two on night duty in the Curragh Military Hospital on recent occasions. [15249/97]
Written Answers. - Curragh Military Hospital.
Following a meeting with the matron and officer in charge of the Curragh hospital, the director, medical corps decided that there was no justification for two ANS personnel performing night duty as the number of in-patients was averaging between six and ten. Accordingly, the duty roster now provides for only one nurse on duty at night. The revised roster was implemented successfully last May. While maintaining adequate staffing levels at night this arrangement also facilitates the provision of an improved service during the day as two extra sisters are available for duty, a nurse who would have been rostered for duty at night and a nurse who would otherwise have been resting off from night duty at a time when the out-patient work load is increasing.
Four enlisted personnel are also on duty in the hospital at night, some of whom have para-medical qualifications. Accordingly, adequate technical support is considered to be available to the nurse on duty and I am assured that the personal security of the nurses is also adequately catered for.