James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The first I have heard of this is today, as the Deputy will know. I have to confirm that, as of yesterday, Waterford Regional Hospital had its full complement of eight approved orthopaedic posts in place, including two on a temporary contracts. If the two doctors to whom the Deputy alluded are the two on temporary contracts, then that is an issue I can take up with him. I will have to talk to the Department. It is primarily a matter for the Medical Council which is a statutory body independent of the Minister, and rightly so. It has its standards to meet and match. We will have to look into the situation to see what the problem is.

On the broader issue, the reduction in the size of the public service has been an essential component of the approach to addressing the State's fiscal difficulties.

This has been combined with a firm focus on improving public service efficiency and effectiveness. The Croke Park agreement and the current Haddington Road agreement have enabled health services to be sustained and improved despite a staffing reduction of 11,000 whole-time equivalents, or 10% of all staff, since the end of 2007. I acknowledge the major contribution staff have made to meeting the unprecedented challenges of recent years and putting the State’s finances on a sustainable footing for the future. It is an incredible tribute to their dedication and commitment that we have not only maintained a safe service, but improved it in terms of the number of people who have to endure long trolley waits and long waiting times for inpatient treatment.

The Haddington Road agreement provides for some 5 million additional working hours each year. It also provides for the appointment of 1,000 nurses and midwives and 1,000 intern support staff under targeted employment initiatives. These measures will enable the health service to reduce substantially levels of agency working and overtime and continue to reduce overall numbers while maintaining services and service levels to the greatest possible extent. The HIQA national standards for safer and better health care identify the need for service providers to plan, organise and manage their workforce to achieve the service objectives for high quality, safe and reliable health care. HIQA does not set minimum requirements for staffing levels on a national basis. The Deputy will be aware that public hospitals are being reorganised into more accountable hospital groups. I am confident that the group structure will allow for more efficient deployment of human resources, facilitating effective and flexible use of staff, thus allowing for a better response to service needs.

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