Ms Marie Butler:

In December 2018, or back a bit further to 2016, we asked the Department of Health to conduct an independent study into where healthcare assistants were at the time. That independent review eventually launched in December 2018 and the HSE fully endorsed the recommendations. One of the issues with the healthcare assistants is that the role has developed differently in different areas. In some areas healthcare assistants are doing observations and quite intricate patient care while not in other areas. They all must have Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, level 5 now. There are a number of areas where they are developing quite well. Certainly, in some of the acute hospitals they are developing quite well. It is much slower in maternity and in mental health. It is much slower even in care of the elderly and in other areas. However, the independent review clearly shows how and where they could be developed further. There is no real objection to it, other than an unwillingness to get going on it.