Health Board Staff.

Wednesday, 29 September 2004

Ceisteanna (769)

Seymour Crawford

Ceist:

948 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Health and Children the number of additional employees that were in the North Eastern Health Board region in the past seven years; the number of the new employees who are nurses, doctors or consultants; if he has satisfied himself that sufficient numbers of front line persons are being put in place as against those in administration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22637/04]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The staffing levels for the North Eastern Health Board, as requested by the Deputy, are as set out in the table. The Deputy will be interested to note that the number of staff employed by the North Eastern Health Board has increased by 67% or 2,775 wholetime equivalents, excluding St. John of God's services, over the period.

As regards the various catagories of staff employed in the region, it should be noted that, in this particular instance, the responsibility for human resource planning rests with the chief executive officer of the North Eastern Health Board. The CEO, in managing the workforce of the region, is responsible for determining the appropriate staffing mix and the precise grades of staff to be employed, including the prioritisation of front line service delivery posts, subject to overall employment remaining within the approved regional employment ceiling.

North Eastern Health Board Region Staffing

(excluding Home Helps)
Grade Category	1996	2003	Increase 1996-2003
Medical/Dental	277	477	200
of which: Consultants	73	125	52
Nursing	1,817	2,427	610
Health and Social Care Professionals1	288	714	427
General Support Staff and Other Patients & Client Care1	1,239	2,485	1,246
Management/Administrative — Direct Patient Services2	330	800	470
Management/Administrative — Other3	186	450	264
Total	4,136	7,354	3,218

Source: Department of Health & Children Personnel Census.

Notes:

1 The professionalisation of Child Care Workers/House Parents resulted in grade category shift of these grades from Other Patient Care to Health and Social Care Professionals in 2001-2002.

2 Management Administrative —Direct Patient Services are staff who are of direct service to the public and include Consultant’s Secretaries, Out-Patient Department Personnel, Medical Records Personnel, Telephonists and other staff who are engaged in front-line duties.

3 Management/Administrative —Other are staff in the following categories Payroll, Human Resource Management (including training), Service Managers, IT Staff, General Management Support and Legislative and Information Requirements.

4 W.E.F. 2003 443 St. John of God Staff at Drumcar, previously returned by St. John of God HQ and included in figures for the ERHA Region, are included in the NEHB figures.

5 All figures are expressed in wholetime equivalents.