Gay Mitchell
Ceist:182 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the contents of a letter (details supplied) with regard to the state of the health system. [8567/01]
Vol. 533 No. 3
182 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a statement on the contents of a letter (details supplied) with regard to the state of the health system. [8567/01]
The representation to the Deputy would appear to relate to treatment received at a public hospital. If the Deputy could forward more precise details to me in this case, I will be pleased to have the matter examined by the relevant health agency.
On the wider question of nursing recruitment, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a number of initiatives have been taken at national level and in the greater Dublin area in particular to attract nurses back to work. Indications are that the nurse staffing situation is improving as a result and as the recruitment of nurses from abroad begins to pay dividends. Beaumont Hospital, for example, now has a full complement of nurses – at one stage last year it had 130 nursing vacancies. Over 900 nurses from non-EU countries have been granted work visas or work authorisations since June 2000.