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Midwifery Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2018

Tuesday, 20 March 2018

Ceisteanna (453)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

453. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the measures that will be taken to enforce and embed the evidence-based practice midwives have worked to master to make the retention of graduating midwives a reality in view of figures given to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Health on 21 February 2018 (details supplied) and his recent announcement that a full time permanent contract will be offered to all graduating midwives in 2018 to attract and keep midwives. [11933/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The need to increase the numbers of nurses and midwives in the public health service is a priority for this Government despite a backdrop of global shortages in health professionals and the high regard in which our nursing graduates are held worldwide.

Last month, the HSE issued an instruction that all nurse graduates will be offered permanent contracts to work in the Irish Public Health Service in 2018 in line with the usual recruitment processes. Directors of Nursing were requested by the HSE’s National Director of HR to commence the recruitment process as soon as possible, if not already underway.

The HSE has increased the number of nurses and midwives employed in the public health service by 1,360 from January 2017 (35,936) to January 2018 (37,296). The number of nursing posts has increased by over 2,900 in the four years from end January 2014 to end January 2018.

At the end of January 2018, there were 1,130 staff midwives, with a further 17 midwives awaiting registration. In addition to this, the HSE personnel census in January 2018 reported 336 Clinical Midwife Managers. This is an increase of 34 when compared to January 2017. These managers have a key role to contribute to service development through appropriate continuous education, research initiatives and keeping up to date with the evidence based literature.

Significant work is also being undertaken by the Office of the Chief Nursing Officer in my Department to develop a policy for graduate, specialist and advanced nursing and midwifery practice and widen opportunities for nurses and midwives to develop career paths as advanced practitioners.

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