Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 November 2013
193. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which permanent nursing staff remains to be available throughout the public health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48551/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll staffing arrangements have to be considered in the light of the current budgetary pressures in the health service and the need to reduce the numbers employed throughout the public sector. Staff appointments may be made only where an inescapable service need has been identified and which cannot be addressed by other means, such as the redeployment of staff or reorganisation of services.
Notwithstanding these restrictions, I am satisfied that sufficient nursing capacity can be provided throughout the public health service. The Public Service Stability Agreement 2013- 2016 (The Haddington Road Agreement) provides for health service staff to increase their working hours. The value ascribed to this element of the Agreement is in the region of five million hours annually for the health workforce as a whole. In the case of nurses and midwives, the standard working-week has increased from 37.5 to 39 hours. Given the number of nurses and midwives in the public health service (about one-third of the workforce), these additional working-hours represent significant additional capacity.
The Haddington Road Agreement also provides for the implementation of the Graduate Nurse/Midwife Placement Initiative on an agreed basis with the health unions. Staff are currently being appointed under this scheme. In addition, as part of the 2014 Estimates process, it has been agreed that the HSE will establish a Nurse Bank. This measure will improve the continuity of nurse-provided care and will also reduce reliance on agency staffing.
The Report of the Review of the Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Degree Programmes, published in 2012, found that the numbers of nurses and midwives currently being trained are sufficient to meet current demand. The Report also recommended that a five year workforce plan, to be reviewed regularly, should be undertaken by the HSE in co-operation with the Department of Health, taking into account the extent of change planned under the reform agenda and economic considerations referred to above. I can confirm to the Deputy that the HSE has commenced this process.
