Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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645. To ask the Minister for Health the provision made in terms of workforce planning for maternity cover in front-line therapy services that are positioned in primary care in view of the dominance of women in professions such as speech and language and occupational therapy; if this is not planned, if it is intended to plan for such events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26837/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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With regard to strategic workforce planning, as set out in the Department of Health’s Statement of Strategy 2015 – 2017, the Department has committed to developing a national integrated strategic framework for health workforce planning, in collaboration with Government Departments and agencies. In the context of integrated models of care, the strategic framework will provide the overarching context for discipline-specific strategic workforce planning in the future.

A cross-sectoral Steering Group has been convened to undertake this work. The Group's deliberations will take into account the issues you raise including feminisation of the workforce and include consultation with key stakeholders.

Maternity cover along with other short-term leave in Primary Care is managed at local level within the Health Service Executive (HSE) and therefore I have arranged for the question to be referred to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy.