Written answers

Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Department of Health

Public Sector Staff Recruitment

Photo of James BrowneJames Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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441. To ask the Minister for Health his views on the fact that the Commission on Public Pay was informed by another Department that there are currently no general recruitment or retention problems in the public service in which problems are emerging in respect of senior management and specialist skills in view of the expressed view of his Department and the HSE that there are difficulties in recruiting mental health staff [24118/17]

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As part of the work of the Public Service Pay Commission each sector was asked to provide a submission. The HSE submission, which can be found here: ,covered a wide range of issues, including recruitment and retention across all staff groups in the health sector. The Commission in its Report noted that there are recruitment problems in some specific and specialist groups, including groups that are internationally in demand particularly in the health sector. It stated that the National Recruitment Service reported particular difficulty in filling posts in psychiatry at consultant and NCHD level, in mental health nursing and many other nursing divisions.

The HSE is focused on recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives within the public health system. It has increased nursing numbers over the past two years as the budgetary position has improved. Under proposals recently agreed with the INMO and SIPTU Nursing management have committed to: increasing the nursing and midwifery workforce in 2017, with 1,208 additional permanent posts; maternity leave cover in accordance with the funded workforce plan; offering all graduating nurses and midwives full time contracts; a career break scheme; the introduction of a pilot pre-retirement initiative;130 additional undergraduate places in 2017; and to offering nurses and midwives improved educational opportunities and career pathways.

I, and my Department. also recognise that there are particular difficulties in recruiting mental health staff at present and related workforce challenges. In discussions with the Psychiatric Nursing Association and SIPTU Nursing last summer it was agreed that retired staff nurses could return to work with recognition for previous service up to the Long Service Increment point of the pay scale. Recognising the need for long term solutions, an additional 60 undergraduate places for psychiatric nursing were introduced last autumn with a further 70 to be added in the 2017-2018 academic year.

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