Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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106. To ask the Minister for Health the way in which he plans to deal with problems of retaining and recruiting staff in key sectors of the health service in the coming period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27900/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In line with the Department’s Statement of Strategy, the Department of Health is working with the HSE and other cross sectoral partners to develop a national strategic framework for health workforce planning which aims to support the recruitment and retention of the right mix of health workers across the Irish health service to meet planned and projected service need. During 2016, the Department of Health convened a cross-sectoral Steering Group to begin work on the development of this Framework.

Work on the draft framework is well advanced and a stakeholder consultation process on the draft will commence during June. It is anticipated that the finalised framework, and an associated high-level implementation plan, will be submitted to the Minister for Health in September 2017.

In addition, under proposals formulated at the WRC between this Department, DPER, the HSE, the INMO and SIPTU in February and March this year it was agreed that management would increase the HSE’s National Workforce Plan for nurses and midwives in 2017. Management have committed to continuing to increase the nursing and midwifery workforce in 2017, through a broad range of initiatives that will result in the delivery of 1,208 additional permanent posts; including the conversion of agency employed staff into HSE direct employees, and offering all graduating nurses and midwives full time contracts. Other key measures include maternity leave cover; a career break scheme; 130 additional undergraduate places in 2017; and offering nurses and midwives improved educational opportunities and career pathways. Recruitment measures include careers days, HSE attendance at national and international recruitment fairs, and a communication from the National Director for HR to all Nursing and Midwifery Graduates.

Although not limited to the health sector, the recent draft Public Service Stability Agreement also sets out a process for a more comprehensive examination of underlying difficulties in recruitment and retention in certain sectors and employment streams where difficulties are clearly evident. There will be opportunities for submissions to be made to the Public Service Pay Commission and the exercise is due to be completed by end- 2018. Any proposals will be subject to discussion between the parties.