Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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578. To ask the Minister for Health the number of approved nursing posts in the paediatric emergency department in the Regional Hospital, Mullingar. [45123/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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579. To ask the Minister for Health the recommended number of paediatric nursing posts in an accident and emergency department seeing more than 12,000 children a year. [45124/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, I launched the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix in Adult Emergency Care settings in 2022. This uses a systematic approach, namely the Nursing Hours per Patient Presentation (NHpPP), to determine safe nurse staffing requirements; the adjustment of skill mix to ensure that care is delivered by 85% Registered Nurses and 15% Health Care Assistants. This policy document only focuses on Adult Emergency Care settings and not paediatric emergency care settings.

There is currently no standardised systematic approach to determining the nurse staffing requirements in paediatric emergency care settings. There is however a number of different workforce tools encompassing a variety of methods to predict staffing levels across paediatric hospitals. International evidence concurs with this and does not identify a preferred or agreed approach.

Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) are currently reviewing this with an aim to providing a standardised approach to staffing in both inpatient and emergency care areas. Evidence from the Safe Staffing Framework approach identifies a standardised, evidence based method including important predictors of acuity and patient need such a triage category, numbers and presentations has led to improved outcomes for patients, staff and organisations. My Department are engaging with CHI to ensure the approach applied within paediatric settings remains consistent with national policy.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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580. To ask the Minister for Health the number of posts currently filled on a permanent basis by paediatric-qualified staff. [45125/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this Parliamentary Question relates to an operational issue, it is a matter for the HSE. However, members of the Oireachtas are advised that the HSE is currently not in a position to answer PQs due to industrial action. It is hoped that normal services will resume soon. In the meantime, this Department will continue to refer PQs to HSE for their direct reply as soon as possible

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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581. To ask the Minister for Health the number of clinical nurse manager posts for the paediatric emergency department in the Regional Hospital, Mullingar. [45126/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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582. To ask the Minister for Health the number of emergency department staff in the Regional Hospital, Mullingar currently trained in the Irish childhood triage system. [45127/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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583. To ask the Minister for Health given the level of actual, compared to recommended staffing in the Regional Hospital, Mullingar if he feels that his Department is staffed to a safe level [45128/23]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.