Bernard Allen
Ceist:161 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he proposes to develop the role of nurse practitioners in the health services; and his views on their present role in the delivery of hospital services. [25750/01]
Written Answers. - Nursing Staff.
The National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery is the statutory agency with responsibility for the post-registration development of nursing and midwifery. In particular, it is responsible for monitoring the ongoing development of nursing and midwifery specialities, including advanced nurse practitioner and advanced midwife practitioner posts, taking into account changes in practice and service need. The national council has issued clear guidelines to all health service providers on the process by which clinical specialist and advanced practitioner posts should be developed.
The national council is working closely with the health boards, mainly through the nursing and midwifery planning and development units, which have regional responsibility for the strategic planning of nursing and midwifery services, to encourage the development of specialist nursing and advanced nursing practitioner posts. Part of the process set out in the national council's guidelines involves the health service provider submitting a plan for the creation of any such posts to the relevant nursing and midwifery planning and development unit for consideration. This is to ensure that there is a coherent approach at regional level to the development of nursing specialities.
I am fully supportive of the new clinical career pathway now available for nurses and midwives who wish to remain in clinical practice. They now have an opportunity to develop specialist clinical nursing skills which will enable them to respond to future challenges in health care, for the benefit of patients and client groups of the health services.