Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

195. To ask the Minister for Health the reason no nursing posts have been allocated to County Cork under the primary care funding despite the recent reductions in staffing and the increase in population in the county while Wexford has been allocated 20.5 nursing posts through this funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28422/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

An allocation of €20 million is set aside in the HSE's 2013 National Service Plan for approximately 250 Primary Care posts to strengthen primary care services. The posts will be filled using the Resource Allocation model, based on deprivation and need, which was developed by the HSE's National Primary Care Office and Health Intelligence Unit. Using this model, the HSE completed a detailed analysis of the numbers and distribution of public health nurses, registered general nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. The analysis revealed considerable variation across the 17 Integrated Service Areas in ratios of health care professionals to population, and to population numbers in areas of high deprivation. Based on this analysis, it proposed that the following additional posts be recruited to Primary Care Teams:

- 70 Public Health Nurses;

- 37 Registered General Nurses;

- 51 Occupational Therapists;

- 46 Physiotherapists;

- 47 Speech & Language Therapists.

The recruitment process has commenced and it is the intention to have these posts filled as soon as possible in 2013.

The HSE has been asked to respond directly to the Deputy in relation to the allocation of posts to the specific areas highlighted by the Deputy.