Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Swanick for raising this matter in the Seanad today, and for the opportunity it gives me to outline my views on public health nurses and primary care. I fully agree with the Senator, who has been a strong advocate for primary care for a long number of years, that if we are serious about breaking what is now an annual vicious cycle of overcrowding in accident and emergency departments in our acute hospitals, we must look at providing more services in the community and finally making real the phrase a decisive shift to primary care. This has a number of elements, including the new GP contract and looking at the role of practice nurses as part of this, and I absolutely believe the role of public health nurses is another element.

The Institute of Community Health Nursing, ICHN, was established in 1985. As the Senator knows, it is a professional and educational body representing community nursing in the Republic of Ireland. The ICHN has a history of supporting community nursing services through education, development and research, and through its professional development and collegial networks. Through its global and international networking forums and conferences, the ICHN demonstrates the impact of Irish community nurses in practice. I am happy to state the Department of Health has supported the work of the ICHN through regular engagements on matters of mutual interest, attendance at annual conferences and contributions to publications, and there is ongoing engagement with the chief nurse's office in the Department and the ICHN, and with other units in the Department of Health.

I assure Senator Swanick that I absolutely recognise the importance of recruiting and retaining nurses in the public health service. The programme for Government includes a commitment to expand the public health nursing service, which demonstrates how we value these services. There are 1,745 public health nurses, of which 1,498 are whole-time equivalent, in the health services. This year, 108 student public health nurses are in training. I am pleased to inform the Senator that a needs analysis is under way in the office of the nursing and midwifery directorate in the HSE to determine how many training places will be required this autumn. It is very important that we get this analysis and data correct. HSE management is committed to implementing a range of initiatives that will support future recruitment and retention.

In recent years, Ireland has made significant achievements in key outcomes relating to the health and well-being of the population, be it with regard to cancer, chronic disease management, cardiac care and life expectancy. However, challenges still persist, especially in accessibility to timely and appropriate health care and the growth in the number of people reaching older age, as the Senator mentioned. All of these indicators point to the growing need for an enhanced role at community level health care that best meets the health needs of patients in the home or as close to home as possible. This must also mean new roles and structures being developed for community nurses and midwives. These will build on the new community health care structures already in place, and with this in mind new policies being led by the Department will recommend the development of integrated acute and community nursing and midwifery practice to enhance patients' access to appropriate health care services. As we develop these policies throughout the year, I will keep in touch with Senator Swanick.

The shift of health care from a focus on hospital to a focus on primary and community care will play a real part in achieving the integrated care for patients for which Senator Swanick advocates. The ICHN should continue to play a pivotal role in contributing to the development of these new policies and in supporting these professionals in education, development, research and networking through their professional development and networks.

With regard to funding arrangements for the ICHN, the HSE has informed me it has provided funding for the institute in recent years. On foot of this debate, I have asked the HSE to provide the Senator and me with a report on the funding requirements and funding provided to the ICHN and I will revert to the Senator when I receive this.