Michael Ring
Ceist:136 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children when funding will be made available for clinical placements in hospitals. [30280/00]
Written Answers. - Nursing Staff.
Michael Ring
Ceist:137 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will intervene to resolve the problem accessing the clinical placements of Filipino nurses awaiting entry for nursing homes. [30281/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 137 together.
I have made funding available to the Health Service Employers Agency to employ a nurse manager to co-ordinate the provision of supervised clinical placements for nurses recruited from abroad. Nurses from the Philippines and certain other non-EU countries are required to undertake such placements prior to registration with An Bord Altranais.
The recruitment of nurses from abroad is helping to ease staffing difficulties across a range of health care settings. However, some problems have arisen in relation to the availability of supervised clinical placements. I am determined that nurses requiring such placements will be provided with them. The Health Service Employers' Agency co-ordinator will have a nationwide remit in ensuring the availability of sufficient clinical placements.
I met representatives of An Bord Altranais last week to discuss the need for greater flexibility in relation to the clinical sites where nurses from abroad may undertake their supervised placements. I am confident that the board will respond positively to my proposals.
I am prepared to provide funding to teaching hospitals involved in the provision of supervised clinical placements in respect of the salary of a clinical co-ordinator for the duration of such placements. Since this is the biggest single cost element, the availability of funding to cover it will greatly reduce the overall cost to agencies, such as nursing homes, which are recruiting nurses from non EU countries. However, other costs associated with these placements, including vaccinations and meals, are a matter for negotiation between the individual hospital and prospective employer concerned. I am not in a position to provide funding for such matters.