Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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56. To ask the Minister for Health if his Department has studied the potential benefits to the public health care system that could arise if the demands of the INMO, Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, and the IMO, Irish Medical Organisation, for improvements in pay and working conditions were met from the point of view of retaining in the public health care system more of the doctors and nurses that are trained here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37994/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government and my Department recognise that difficulties recruiting and retaining doctors and nurses has the potential to impact negatively on patient care and service delivery. The Programme for a Partnership Government aims to recruit and retain talent within the public health service by implementing new procedures to ensure more efficient and timely recruitment of doctors and nurses. The Government has secured a total budget of €14.6 billion for the health service in 2017, the highest ever health budget. This funding will allow for the filling of a significant number of medical, nursing and other key service delivery posts.

A national integrated strategic framework for health workforce planning is being progressed by my Department. It is working with other Government Departments, the Health Service Executive and other agencies to implement an approach to workforce planning and development with the objectives of recruiting and retaining the right mix of staff. This National Integrated Strategic Framework for Health Workforce Planning is intended to reshape Ireland’s future health workforce planning to support and enable the productivity of the existing workforce and the recruitment and retention of a highly valued workforce. It will also encompass the expansion of the size, skills, competences and behaviours of the future workforce to meet current and emerging demands. It is expected that a report and a high level implementation plan will be submitted to the Minister in early 2017.

The MacCraith Group established in 2013 submitted three reports and made 25 recommendations aimed at improving the retention of medical graduates in the public health system and planning for future needs. My Department has established an Implementation Monitoring Group, comprising key stakeholders to support the implementation of the recommendations with each recommendation having an identified business owner. One of the Group's key recommendations led to improved new entrant pay scales for consultants implemented with effect from 1st September 2014.

There are many initiatives currently underway to improve nursing and midwifery staffing levels throughout the country. The HSE is focused on offering graduating nurses and midwives permanent posts and on replacing agency with permanent staff. A number of specific measures in relation to pay that will support the recruitment and retention have been taken including, the restoration of incremental credit for the 36 week undergraduate placement, higher rates of pay for the placement and additional pay for nurses taking on tasks previously undertaken by doctors.

My Department regularly engages with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on matters concerning pay and working conditions for medical and nursing personnel and methods to address recruitment and retention difficulties. Arrangements are in place to commence partial restoration of public service pay in 2017, reflecting the Government's recognition of the need to address pay and, at the same time, manage the public finances in a prudent manner. Further engagement with the staff side on pay and related matters is also in train as announced by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on 29th November.