Vol. 505 No. 6
154 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason the number of beds in the intensive care unit of the Mater Hospital in Dublin was reduced from 17 to 12; if this decision will be reversed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14305/99]
I have had inquiries made of the Mater Hospital regarding this matter and have been informed that the numbers of beds in the intensive care unit have been reduced due to a shortage in speciality nurses. The hospital is actively involved in trying to recruit specialist nurses for this area and these beds will reopen as soon as the trained staff are in place.
This shortage of specialist nursing staff is being experienced on a nationwide basis. While the recruitment of nurses is primarily a matter for individual employers, the overall issue of the availability of nurses is being kept under review by the Health Service Employers' Agency – HSEA. The HSEA established a task group in 1998 to examine the full nature of the difficulties in recruiting nursing staff and to make recommendations on appropriate action.
A HSEA survey of Dublin hospitals showed 448 vacant staff nurse posts on 15 January 1999. However, a survey of the same hospitals carried out one week later by my Department revealed a significant reduction in the number of vacant posts – down to 384 on the 22nd January 1999. A further survey carried out during the week ending 5 February 1999 provided an almost identical result – 384.9 vacancies.
This downward trend is consistent with the increase in the number of nurses applying to An Bord Altranais for registration. The returns indicate that there is a particular difficulty in recruiting nurses for specialist areas such as theatre, intensive care, coronary care, accident and emergency and paediatrics. The survey returns reinforce the indications given to the HSEA by hospital management that nurses are leaving Dublin and taking up positions in rural areas. The cost of housing and traffic problems are seen as disincentives to taking up nursing posts in Dublin.
A further survey of nursing vacancies in the Dublin area is currently being undertaken by the HSEA. The results of this survey will be available shortly and will be submitted to the Joint Committee on Health and Children, which is considering nursing shortages. Representatives of my Department and the HSEA have been invited to appear before the committee on 17 June next.
The strength of the economy is also having an impact on the availability of nurses. Nurses have enhanced mobility by virtue of their education, training and skills. In the current economic boom, they are much sought after by pharmaceutical and related companies in the private health sector, as well as by commercial concerns in other sectors.
Arising from the work of the task group, the HSEA outlined to the nursing unions in November 1998 a number of initiatives to address the shortage, including the standardisation of overtime rates and full incremental credit on permanent appointment for relevant previous nursing experience both at home and abroad.
