Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 April 2018
273. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Health the extent to which the number of nurses, doctors and consultants becoming available in 2018 is sufficient to meet the demand; his views on whether it is possible to compete with health services in the Middle East in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17386/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe need to increase the numbers of consultants, medical staff, nurses and midwives in the public health service is a priority for this Government. It has been the focus of attention since 2014 as additional resources have become available and will continue to be this year and in the years ahead. The capacity challenges across acute, primary and social care that we must prepare for, and address, have been highlighted in the recently published Capacity Review.
It is recognised that retention of doctors and nurses is critical to the future growth of the medical and nursing workforce. Some progress has been made.
The number of consultants has increased by 109 in the 12 months ending December 2017 to 2,971 whole time equivalents, and by 415 in the 4 years since December 2013. The number of NCHDS has increased by 270 in the 12 months ending December, 2017 to 6,331 whole time equivalents, and by 1,323 in the 4 years since December 2013.
In July 2013 a Working Group, chaired by Professor Brian MacCraith, President, Dublin City University, was established to carry out a strategic review of medical training and career structure. The Group made 25 recommendations relating to training and career pathways for doctors with a focus on improving graduate retention in the public health system and planning for future service needs. Initiatives taken on foot of the Group's recommendations include the launch of a careers and training website, which gives information about each specialty, including details of training pathways and training duration, increasing the number of family-friendly training places and the appointment of lead NCHDs across sites.
With regard to nursing, the number of nurses and midwives has increased by 942 in the 12 months ending December 2017 to 36,777 whole time equivalents and by 2,599 in the 4 years since December 2013. This growth reflects the implementation of a Nursing Recruitment and Retention Agreement concluded with the INMO and SIPTU Nursing last year. This committed the HSE to increasing the number of nurses and midwives by 1,224 additional permanent posts across the health service in 2017. The HSE remain committed to the Agreement and efforts will continue to fill the remaining posts. Funded workforce plans for 2018 are in the process of being developed. One of the commitments already made by the HSE and supported by this Department is ensuring that every nursing graduate is offered a permanent contract in 2018 and work is already underway in that regard. Additional student places have also been put in place as part of the agreement and this will ensure growing numbers of graduates in the years ahead.
The Government is acutely aware that there is a backdrop of global shortages in health professionals and that there is intense competition from health services in the Middle East and elsewhere. This is particularly so given that Irish medical and nursing graduates are held in high regard worldwide. We must ensure that when our graduates qualify that Ireland is an attractive option for them this autumn and in the years ahead.
