Vol. 554 No. 5
1100 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals within his Department that will change the requirement that public health nurses have midwifery qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16400/02]
I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate the Government's commitment to the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission on Nursing. The Commission recommended that in "light of services offered by public health nurses and the on-going development of nursing and midwifery services in the community, registration as a midwife should no longer be a mandatory requirement for entry to the higher diploma in public health nursing. An alternative education programme relating more closely to the core generic maternal and child care services requirements of public health nursing should replace the mandatory midwifery requirement."
The Commission went on to recommend that An Bord Altranais "establish a working party composed of PHN's, health service providers and nurse educators to determine the content and duration of a course in maternal and child health as an alternative to the mandatory midwifery qualification." Following this recommendation, An Bord Altranais established a working party which reported in June 2002. The group produced a document detailing the content and duration of a proposed course in Maternal and Child Health. The changes have been agreed by An Bord Altranais. The board has now requested that the Nurses' Rules be amended to give effect to the proposed changes.
