Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 July 2021
149. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Health the plans and measures that will be put in place to support training, recruitment and retention of the healthcare professionals necessary to build capacity across the whole health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37725/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to thank the Deputy for raising this important matter.
The Programme for Government commits the Department of Health to working with the education sectors, regulators, and professional bodies to improve the availability of health professionals and reform their training to support integrated care across the entire health service.
A Strategic Workforce Planning Unit has been established within my Department to pursue these key objectives. The unit engages on an ongoing basis with colleagues in the HSE, Department of Further Higher Education Research Innovation and Science and the Medical Council regarding medical education and training and additional student places on health-related courses.
Earlier this year, I was pleased to announce an additional 120 medical intern posts for July 2021 and funding for up to 92 additional postgraduate and fellowship trainees. This increase in the number of intern places was supported with accompanying increases in postgraduate training and fellowship places to ensure that doctors can avail of the next step in the training pathway following completion of an internship. The additional training places provide enhanced opportunities for doctors in Ireland and will ultimately support the delivery of shorter waiting times, the reduction of inappropriate hospital admissions, improved patient flow, and earlier discharge of patients to the community.
A significant expansion of the health and social care workforce is required to respond to the additional pressures caused by COVID-19 pandemic. Budget 2021 provided for the longer-term expansion of the health service in order to meet the needs of the population, and funded the retention of these COVID-related posts on a permanent basis plus an additional circa 3,216 whole-time equivalents, funding a total increase of approximately 15,838 positions. Healthcare workers are being hired from across the range of professions, and recruitment campaigns continue to go live through the HSE and its recruitment teams. At the end of the April, the health sector workforce has 128,999 WTE, which is an increase of 9,182 WTE since the end of December 2019, and an increase of 1,915 WTE since the end of December 2020.
The Sláintecare Reform Programme aims to address many of the challenges the health and social care system is facing, including through a stronger orientation towards primary and social care settings, community care provision through Community Health Networks and promoting integration of care.
The Sláintecare reform “Workstream 6 – Workforce Planning” programme, of the Slaintecare Implementation Strategy & Action Plan 2021-2023, is centred on having sufficient capacity in the workforce and the appropriate configuration of staff and skill-mix, which are integral to the delivery of safe and timely health and social care services. Ensuring, that sufficient professionals are trained, attracted, and retained in the areas where need is anticipated, will form a key part of the work of Workstream 6 – Workforce Planning programme.
