Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 38: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the progress made in the centralisation of the process of the recruitment of non-consultant hospital doctors; the number of vacancies for such posts; if she will provide a table of the hospitals which have vacancies and the number and nature of these vacancies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4176/11]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised my Department that approximately 150 of 4,638 Non Consultant Hospital Doctor (NCHD) posts are vacant. The moratorium on public sector recruitment is not a factor in these NCHD vacancies. Other countries are also experiencing difficulties in recruiting NCHDs at present.

The HSE has developed a range of strategies and initiatives to maximise recruitment. It is currently progressing the development of a centralised recruitment process for service posts with a view to this system being fully operational for the July 2011 recruitment cycle. In December 2010, the HSE advertised all vacant non-training NCHD posts as 'Professional Development Posts' under 2 year contracts to one of the four HSE Areas, with a minimum of 6 months in a regional centre, participation in a Professional Development Scheme under the relevant postgraduate training body and access to a range of financial incentives. The Executive is also progressing the introduction of a single contact point for HSE agencies to obtain locum/temporary medical staff. I have asked the Executive to reply directly to the Deputy about the number and nature of vacancies in specific hospitals.