Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of staff in the Health Service Executive on long term leave due to illness; if there is a strategic management plan for the delivery of health services in County Wicklow; and if the impact of the random job cuts in the health service has been evaluated on the ability of the health care service terms to deliver the services required. [2446/08]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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Data regarding the percentage of staff on long-term sick leave is collated as part of the HSE's Corporate Performance Measurement Report. This report captures information on staff that are on reduced pay due to sick leave. The last report (for quarter 3, 2007) indicated that 2.1% of staff employed directly by the HSE were on long-term sick leave.

The 2008 National Service Plan (NSP) has been approved by me and laid before the Oireachtas. It outlines the type and volume of health and personal services to be provided by the Executive on a national basis. The NSP is supported by a business planning process which translates these national deliverables into local deliverables at area, hospital network, local and unit level. I have been informed by the Health Service Executive that the Wicklow Local Health Office is in the process of completing its level 2 business plan which will set out the services to be delivered in 2008, including Mental Health, Primary Care, Disabilities, and Children & Families services.

The recruitment pause put in place in September 2007 was initiated as part of the HSE financial break-even plan to facilitate the delivery of services on budget in accordance with the provisions of the 2007 National Service Plan. This pause did not involve random job cuts but did mean that the recruitment of staff to approved positions was delayed. The HSE put in place a derogation process to deal with the filling of essential posts to protect front-line services and close to 900 posts were approved under this process.

This temporary pause in recruitment ended on 31st December 2007 and any posts falling vacant from 1st January 2008 can be filled subject to the provisions of a detailed employment control circular issued by the HSE on January 8th.

It is very important that measures are in place in 2008 to avoid a repetition of the problems encountered in 2007. In my letter to the Chairman of the HSE approving the 2008 National Service Plan, I have emphasised that the evident links between the Voted allocation, approved employment levels and service activity — within the HSE itself and in HSE funded agencies such as the major voluntary hospitals — need to be planned and actively managed from the very start of the year with appropriate action being taken in the event of any divergence from profile.

It is only through this integrated and managed approach that the HSE will be able to ensure that resources for services (including staffing) are directed as intended by Government.