Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

215. To ask the Minister for Health the extent to which studies have been carried out into the comparable pay scales between this jurisdiction and adjoining jurisdictions in respect of nurses, doctors and hospital consultants, with a view to ascertaining how best to make a career in the public health service here more attractive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43431/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The ability of the HSE and the health service to attract and retain high quality frontline staff shapes the extent to which the HSE can maintain and develop the range of health services required. There is an international nursing and medical manpower shortage, leading to difficulties in recruiting nurses, doctors and consultants. This difficulty is being experienced by other English speaking countries including the UK, Australia, and Canada. Added to this these countries compete for our graduates.

Given the challenging economic position since 2008 and the need to reduce the public sector pay bill it is difficult to compete with other countries on pay. However, we have now moved from a time of retrenchment with the moratorium on public sector recruitment and pay reductions to a time of recovery and building for the future. With a recovering economy, the HSE is now in a position to offer a wide range of career opportunities to medical professionals. Pay reductions are also being reversed under the Lansdowne Road Agreement and take home pay improved as taxation levels are reduced.

It is also necessary to support training and career structures. The MacCraith Group was established in 2013 to carry out a strategic review of medical training and career structures. The Group made a series of recommendations in its three reports aimed at improving the retention of medical graduates in the public health system and importantly, planning for future service needs. The implementation of the Group's recommendations is being actively pursued and monitored.

In July the HSE launched an International Staff Nurse/Midwife Recruitment Campaign which focused on the UK to attract staff nurses and midwives to jobs in Ireland. The current relocation package is up to €1500 in vouched removal/relocation expenses including the cost of flights. At present there is no closing date for this campaign, as the HSE welcomes applications from nurses and midwives who are interested in joining the HSE from abroad on an ongoing basis.