Written Answers. - Nursing Staff.
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
51
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the number of beds closed in hospitals to date in 1999 as a result of a shortage of nurses; the number of staff nurse positions vacant in Dublin and the rest of the country at the latest day for which figures are available; the steps, if any, being taken to ensure an adequate supply of nurses and to avoid the closure of wards and operating theatres; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[18254/99]
Figures available to my Department indicate that on average 47 beds were temporarily closed each month for the first eight months of the year as a result of staffing shortages, including nurse shortages. In addition to those closures which were undertaken as a direct result of staffing shortages, there would be further closures where nursing shortages may be one of a number of contributory factors in a decision to temporarily close beds. Other factors may include annual leave, refurbishment works and decisions in relation to the scheduling of planned elective activity within the annual service plan.
The most recent survey of nursing vacancies, carried out by the Health Service Employers Agency – HSEA – related to the position at the end of April 1999 and found that there were 566staff nurse vacancies. I have asked the HSEA to carry out a further study of the position at 30 September 1999.
The principal difficulties relating to the recruitment and retention of nurses are concentrated in the Dublin area. While some nurses have always moved from Dublin to other parts of the country, investment in hospitals and the development of regional specialties over recent years have increased demand for nurses outside the Dublin area. Within Dublin, issues such as housing costs, traffic problems and lack of car parking facilities have been cited as disincentives to the recruitment and retention of nurses. However, these issues are not unique to nurses or to the health service.
While the recruitment of nurses is primarily a matter for individual employers, who take their own initiatives in this regard, a range of initiatives have been taken or are being progressed with a view to stabilising the situation and, where possible, improving it. These initiatives include the following: arrangements have been agreed with the nursing unions to allow more favourable assimilation arrangements on to pay scales for nurses taking up both permanent and temporary appointments. A significantly improved regime of allowances in respect of nurses working in specialised areas such as operating theatres and intensive care units is being introduced. Implementation of these increased allowances is subject to a satisfactory resolution of the current nurses' pay dispute. Discussions with the nursing unions are continuing in relation to the introduction of more flexible working arrangements for nursing staff. Standardised overtime working arrangements have been introduced following agreement with the nursing unions. Health service employers have been asked to examine the possibilities in relation to the introduction of term time working as an option for staff with family commitments. The availability of return to working courses for qualified nurses who have been out of the work force is being reviewed with a view to maximising uptake. The Department of Health and Children is currently engaged in discussions with health agencies in relation to the provision of specialist nursing courses at centres outside Dublin. An anti-bullying policy has been prepared and agreed with the nursing unions and is due to be published shortly. The promotional structure within nursing, including the introduction of a clinical career pathway, is being significantly improved on foot of the recommendations of the commission on nursing. A "Study of the Nursing and Midwifery Resource" by the nursing policy division of the Department of Health and Children commenced last year with the primary purpose of forecasting future nursing and midwifery resource needs.
With regard to attracting applicants to study nursing, almost £400,000 was allocated this year to underpin a recruitment campaign, at both local and national level. This was a success as more than 5,500 applications were received this year, an increase of over 40 per cent on the 1998 figure. The annual maintenance grant for nursing students, which is not subject to a means test, has been increased from £2,500 to £3,250 since 1997. The grant now is almost double the maximum grant for which other third level students may qualify. The range of leaving certificate subjects that may be presented by an applicant for admission to the nursing diploma programme has been expanded. The requirement to have a foreign language in the leaving certificate has been removed.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the changes outlined above, together with the national and local recruitment campaigns which I funded, have resulted in a highly successful outcome to this year's competitions for training places on the nursing diploma programmes. A total of 1,217 training places have been filled: 819 in general nursing, 242 in psychiatric nursing and 156 in mental handicap nursing. This is the largest number of direct entrants to nurse training for several years and proves that there continues to be considerable interest among young people and others in nursing as a career.
As mentioned previously, I provided funding of almost £400,000 for the recruitment campaigns and I regard it as money well spent. I am especially pleased that the promotional campaigns have raised the profile of both psychiatric and mental handicap nursing. This year we succeeded in filling a record 242 training places in psychiatric nursing compared with only 92 places last year, and a record 156 places in mental handicap nursing compared with 117 in 1998. I also made available funding for some 100 extra training places in general and psychiatric nursing this year and these have been offered to applicants who successfully came through the competition.
