Written answers

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

Department of Health and Children

Health Service Staff

9:00 pm

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the key features of the employment control framework for 2009; the way employment is monitored; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40004/09]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Employment Control Framework, which was agreed in March of this year sets out the overall policy for staffing levels in the health sector for 2009. The Framework incorporates the general moratorium on recruitment in the public sector. However, the moratorium has been modulated to minimise the impact on front line services and, in particular, on areas such as disability, services for older people, and child care.

One of the key features of the Employment Control Framework for 2009 is that the approved employment ceiling for the health sector for 2009 is 111,800 WTEs. In addition, within this employment ceiling there will be a 3% payroll reduction for management and administrative grades in 2009 leading to a reduction of at least 500 in the numbers employed in these grades.

The employment control framework specifically exempts staff in the following front line grades in the health sector from the moratorium: Medical Consultants, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Clinical Psychologists, Behaviour Therapists, Counsellors, Social Workers, and Emergency Medical Technicians.

The framework actually allows for a growth in the number of those posts within the overall approved employment ceiling (111,800 wtes) for the health sector. The framework also includes provision for the creation of 225 new development posts this year for cancer, mental health and disability services. Following a submission from the Health Service Executive earlier this year, it was agreed that special provisions would also apply in relation to Clinical Engineering Technicians, Dosimetrists, Physicists, and Radiation Therapists, which are specialist grades under the National Cancer Control Programme). The framework also provides that a proposal for the filling of a post on exceptional grounds will only be considered through the redeployment of a member of staff of the same or equivalent grade from another post or, the suppression of another or a number of other posts of an equivalent salary value to the post being proposed for filling.

Furthermore, staff will be redeployed within and across pillars and from one institution to another to support the development of integrated care delivery.

Health employment levels are monitored by the Joint Employment Control Monitoring Committee, which comprises officials from my Department, the Department of Finance and the HSE. This committee also reviews the implementation of the moratorium and any issues arising.

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the number of contract or agency staff contracts not renewed on a monthly basis since the introduction of the public service recruitment ban in the health service; the number of appeals made for exemption; the number of appeals granted; the person who has responsibility for granting appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40005/09]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The Employment Control Framework, which was agreed in March of this year sets out the overall policy for staffing levels in the health sector for 2009. The Framework incorporates the general moratorium on recruitment in the public sector. However, the moratorium has been modulated to minimise the impact on front line services and, in particular, on areas such as disability, services for older people, and child care.

A number of requests for derogation from the moratorium has been received from the Health Service Executive. The number of posts relevant to these requests is 87 and, of these, the total number of posts approved is 69. Approval is granted by the Department of Finance in conjunction with my Department.

In relation to the number of contract or agency staff contracts not renewed since the introduction of the moratorium on recruitment, as this is a service matter, it has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the details of the workforce planning strategy; when this will be finalised; if she will publish this strategy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40006/09]

Photo of Mary HarneyMary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The document An Integrated Workforce Planning Strategy for the Health Services — 2009–2012 was published on the 6th of November. The strategy was designed and developed to ensure integration of workforce planning activity with the broader objectives of financial and service planning in the Irish health care and social care system.

As a significant proportion of health funding is spend on staff costs, it is necessary to ensure that it is spent efficiently and delivers on key health goals. The strategy sets out the four key principles to guide integrated workforce planning, i.e., patient/client focus, sustainability, availability and flexibility.

It supports the development of health service human resources including initiatives already underway such as improved Consultant/NCHD ratios, Nurse Prescribing and SKILL development for support staff. It also provides health service planners with the tools to assess other sources of supply through redeployment, retraining or changed skill mix.

This strategy sets out to enhance existing workforce planning analysis in the Irish health service for a wide range of health care occupations. For example, the Strategy follows the publication in June of the report by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) and FÁS — A Quantitative Tool for Workforce Planning in Healthcare. That report contained workforce planning analysis for selected health care occupations and provided a valuable evidence base for workforce planning decisions resulting from policy and demographic changes.

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