Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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18. To ask the Minister for Health the measures his Department is taking to address the issue of staffing in mental health services, which, according to Mental Health Reform, was 22% below recommended levels in April 2015; the action he is taking to tackle mental health staffing issues in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36266/15]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The Government, despite severe financial pressures overall, has provided additional ring-fenced funding of €125 million since 2012 up to end 2015 for mental health to modernise services in line with A Vision for Change and Programme for Government commitments.

A key focus has been the provision of additional posts to strengthen Community Mental Health Teams for adults, children and adolescents, and to enhance specialist community mental health services. This sustained investment is enabling the recruitment of approximately 1,150 new staff for the sector. As at the end of July, the following was the position regarding the additional posts provided:

- 400.5 or 96% of the 416 development posts for 2012 have started;

- 427 or 88% of the 477.5 development posts for 2013 have started;

- Of the 251.1 posts allocated in 2014, 81 have been recruited of which 77 have started by 31 July and a further 88.5 are at various stages in the recruitment process.

The number of staff employed in the Mental Health Service has fluctuated in recent years due to departures for various reasons, including redundancy, retirement or staff moving to take up employment elsewhere. The HSE Mental Health Division have been actively working to improve the underlying recruitment issues largely relating to Nursing and Medical staff, with some challenges in the recruitment of Psychology staff.

The Waterford/Wexford Mental Health Services (MHS) serve a population of 278,000. It aims to provide an integrated approach to service delivery across the catchment area, with access barriers removed. The HSE is committed to the ongoing provision of a quality and safe mental health service in Waterford and Wexford. In this regard, in 2015 the overall budget allocation for Waterford/Wexford Mental Health Services was increased by over €2m from an allocation of €39,093,300 in 2014 to an allocation of €41,194,903 in respect of 2015.

In addition to the increased budget allocation, Waterford/Wexford MHS have received a total of 61 new development posts since 2012 (23 posts in 2012; 27 posts in 2013 and 11 posts in 2014). These included medical, nursing and allied health professional posts. Whilst many of these posts have been filled (and some are at various stages of recruitment), there are a number of these posts for which there are difficulties in identifying suitable candidates due to factors including the availability of qualified candidates and geographic location. There is a difficulty nationally in terms of the recruitment of Consultant Psychiatrists and Non-Consultant Hospital Doctor posts, and this is also the case for Waterford/Wexford MHS where 2 new Consultant Posts are unfilled due to recruitment challenges.

The HSE Staffing Census for Wexford Mental Health Nursing stated that there were 142.35 nurses in August 2015 compared to 147.5 in December 2012. In addition to a number of retirements in recent years, there are currently 19 nurses on maternity leave in Wexford. It is challenging to recruit candidates for temporary short-term position such as maternity leave cover. Following the national recruitment moratorium a number of replacement nursing posts have been approved for Wexford MHS. In addition in recent years, 6 nursing development posts were approved for Wexford Mental Health Services However, there have been challenges with the recruitment to these posts.

HSE management and mental health service personnel are working with the HSE National Mental Health Division on the nurse staffing issues. In addition a national mental health workforce planning review group has been established. Management from HSE Waterford/Wexford MHS continue to monitor staffing levels on an ongoing basis and will explore all possible options within resources available in order to try to improve service provision.