Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. The delivery of a sustainable community nursing service that effectively meets the health needs of the population within a primary care setting is the primary aim of the public health nursing service. Public health nurses in County Leitrim provide services across all care groups within the designated area and include universal, maternal, child health and child welfare services, focusing on the health and well-being of mothers and children and developmental screening of children from birth to preschool age; services for older people and people with disabilities, involving work with individuals-families-carers to carry out an assessment of need to plan, co-ordinate, deliver or monitor a range of nursing, personal and social care services; and primary care nursing services for people under 65 years of age, which involve assessment and the provision of essential clinical nursing care, as required; health education and health promotion activities for all care groups providing advice and support.

The public health nurses work in collaboration with other professionals within the primary care team and also link and work with voluntary and statutory agencies in providing a range of health education and health promotion programmes that support families and communities in the promotion and maintenance of healthy lifestyles within their geographical areas, as required. The public health nursing complement for County Leitrim is 13 whole-time equivalents, WTEs. One post is vacant owing to the promotion of the previous post holder. I am advised that this post only became vacant recently. The HSE has advised that cross-cover arrangements are in place and all essential public health nursing services are being provided. Arrangements are under way to recruit a replacement to fill this vacancy.