Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 July 2013
226. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown in allocation of primary care posts in community care services on a regional basis and within the regions over the past two years. [33969/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2012, the HSE completed a detailed analysis of the numbers and distribution of public health nurses, registered general nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. The analysis revealed considerable variation across the HSE’s 17 Integrated Service Areas in ratios of health care professionals to population, and to population numbers in areas of high deprivation. Based on this exercise, in 2013, Primary Care funding of €20 million, nationally, will be invested to support the recruitment of prioritised front-line primary care team posts and enhance the capacity of the primary care sector.
I issued approval to the HSE on the 27th March 2013 to commence recruitment to Primary Care Teams with immediate effect of the following additional 251 Primary Care posts:
- 70 Public Health Nurses;
- 37 Registered General Nurses;
- 51 Occupational Therapists;
- 46 Physiotherapists; and
- 47 Speech & Language Therapists.
The allocation and distribution of the above posts is based on bringing each Integrated Service Area, where staffing is below the national average, towards the national average.
According to the latest data available, as at 31st May 2013, there were 418 Primary Care Teams (PCTs) operating at varying stages of development (holding clinical team meetings on individual client cases and involving GPs and HSE staff). 1,567 General Practitioners (GPs) and 2,472 HSE staff are participating on these Teams. A further 1,275 staff have been assigned to Health and Social Care Networks. HSE staff working on Teams include Public Health Nurses, Registered General Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists and Dieticians.
The table sets out the number of Teams in operation, the number of GPs attending or represented at Clinical Team Meetings (CTMs) and the total number of HSE staff involved.
|
HSE Area |
No of Teams in Place |
No of GPs Participating |
No of HSE Staff on Teams in Place |
|
DML |
120 |
340 |
726 |
|
DNE |
66 |
124 |
460 |
|
SOUTH |
126 |
617 |
556 |
|
WEST |
106 |
486 |
730 |
|
TOTAL |
418 |
1,567 |
2,472 |
The other information requested has been sought from the HSE and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
