James Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will report on the shortage of non-consultant hospital doctors; the locations at which non-consultant hospital doctors posts cannot be filled at present; the action she will take to address this problem; the number of consultant posts that remain unfilled in the various hospitals via category or specialisation; the way she will address this deficit of non-consultant hospital doctors and consultant doctor posts in our health care system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15819/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Subject to overall parameters set by Government, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has responsibility for determining the composition of its staffing complement. In that regard, it is a matter for the Executive to manage and deploy its human resources to best meet the requirements of its Annual Service Plan for the delivery of health and personal social services to the public. I wish to advise the Deputy that due to industrial action affecting the Health Service Executive it is not possible for the Executive to supply information in relation to the number of unfilled consultant and NCHD posts in specific hospitals. If this matter remains of continuing concern to you, however, I would invite you to raise it with me again in due course.

Government policy is to increase consultant numbers in the hospital sector with a related decrease in NCHD numbers. The moratorium on recruitment in the health sector is framed so as to provide the necessary level of flexibility to support the implementation of this policy. Against this background, the HSE recently advised my Department that the number of medical consultant posts in the health service increased by 70 wholetime equivalent posts between 31 December 2008 and 31 January 2010. Annual increases in consultant numbers have been the norm in recent years as we move towards a consultant delivered service.

Concerns have been expressed in relation to a possible reduction in NCHD numbers when the new rotational cycle commences in July. I understand that the HSE, in order to ensure adequate NCHD staffing levels and continued service delivery, has established a Human Resources and Integrated Services Directorate Group to address the matter. This Group is currently working on initiatives to ensure that services will continue to be available when the new rotations commence in July 2010.