John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 320: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the reason entry to public health nursing has been changed; if she and An Bord Altranais have satisfied themselves that without general nursing, a public health nurse can deliver a quality service to a typical community population base. [11131/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The Commission on Nursing considered that registration as a midwife should no longer be a mandatory requirement for entry to the higher diploma in public health nursing or registration as a public health nurse, PHN, as follows:

. . . in light of the range of services offered by public health nurses and the ongoing development of nursing and midwifery services in the community, registration as a midwife should no longer be a mandatory requirement for entry to the higher diploma in public health nursing or registration as a public health nurse. An alternative education programme relating more closely to the core generic maternal and child care service requirements of public health nursing should replace the mandatory midwifery requirement. The Commission recommends that the Board establish a working party composed of PHNs, health service providers and nurse educators to determine the content and duration of a course in maternal and child health, as an alternative to the mandatory midwifery qualification.

In direct response to this specific recommendation of the commission, An Bord Altranais established a working group to devise the content and duration of a course in maternal and child health. It was proposed, as set out by the commission, that this course should be offered as an alternative to the mandatory midwifery qualification for PHN students. Those with midwifery registration would not be required to undertake the course. This course addresses the professional and practice issues as they relate to maternal and child health in a primary health care setting as a dimension of the role of the PHN. The course includes both theoretical and clinical requirements.

In November 2004, the board approved a number of changes to the nurses rules, including the following amended rule in relation to admission requirements for nurses wishing to train in public health nursing.

Before admission to the programme for education and training leading to registration in the Public Health Nurses Division of the Register, the name of the candidate for the registration must already be entered in the Register of Nurses and the candidate must have two years clinical experience in nursing. Unless the candidate's name is entered in the Midwives Division of the Register, the candidate must complete an An Bord Altranais approved module or unit of study on Maternal and Child Health as part of the programme.

My approval is required under section 26 of the Nurses Act 1985 and these rules were formally approved by me in December 2004 as soon as they were submitted by the board. Regulation of the nursing and midwifery professions, including the setting of requirements and standards in relation to the education programmes for registration in a division of the register of nurses maintained by An Bord Altranais, including the public health nurse division, is the statutory responsibility of the board itself. I understand that, at a recent meeting, the board decided to develop a consultation process on the implementation of the rule change.