Nursing Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 June 2016

Thursday, 2 June 2016

Ceisteanna (43)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

43. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the status of the task force on staffing and skill mix for nursing; the status of the pilot of the framework for safe nurse staffing and skill mix in general and specialist medical and surgical care settings in adult hospitals in Ireland; the hospitals in which this is being piloted; the timeframe for completing reporting and making recommendations on the pilot; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13692/16]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Health

In February 2016, the Taskforce on Staffing and Skill Mix for Nursing, developed an Interim Report and Recommendations for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix in general and specialist surgical care settings in adult hospitals in Ireland. One of the reports’ key recommendations was the necessity to undertake a pilot test of the framework in 2016. In February 2016, a Taskforce Pilot Planning and Implementation Group was established to oversee the pilot. Currently, the pilot test is being undertaken across three acute hospitals, representing the various different hospital sizes, and includes: Beaumont Hospital, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda and St Colmcille's Hospital in Louglinstown. The timeframe for the completion of the pilot is December 2016 with reporting on the outcomes and recommendations from the pilot in January 2017.