Dáil debates

Thursday, 14 May 2020

Covid-19 (Health) - Statements

 

6:50 pm

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----and look forward to any co-operation my Department can provide him with in discharging his duties. It will be an important role.

I gave figures earlier regarding the enhanced nurse contract. When I was last asked about this in this House last month, just over 3,000 staff nurses had been appointed to the new scale. That was up from 700 in February. I believe the number is approximately 4,500 now. I expect a significant further increase on that in the next week or so when I get updated figures. At that stage, I will make a decision as to whether I need to issue a direction to the HSE. I am not detecting an unwillingness in the HSE to do this at all. Basically, I will give the Deputy an answer on that within a week.

On the private hospital issue, the Deputy rightly acknowledged the reasons it was done. Obviously, a review period is built in from the end of this month to the end of June where I must decide in consultation with Government colleagues, and particularly the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, whether it makes sense to renew the contracted and whether it is needed. We will consider all of these issues. We will use that review period to the fullest in terms of value for money for the taxpayer but also, obviously, the needs of the public health service. Of course, if we are to be paying for the use of the private hospitals, we would all agree that we want them used for public patients.

I do not have the figure for the number of vacant beds. I only have the percentages I outlined earlier which I am happy to send to the Deputy in writing. I will also correspond with the Deputy, specifically about psychiatry, which he raised. We have a psychiatrist, Dr. Hillery, on the medical leaders' forum but the issue of having a psychiatrist on NPHET is something I will discuss with the Chief Medical Officer, and on which I will revert to the Deputy.

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