Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, as part of Budget 2024, I secured funding for an additional 2,268 posts in the HSE. This brings the agreed whole time equivalent (WTE) total for HSE for 2024 to 146,600 posts. The safe staffing framework implementation will be included in the HSE National Service Plan for 2024 using an agency posts conversion approach, resulting in an additional 400 WTE, approximately.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix is an evidence-based approach to determine safe staffing and skill mix for nursing. It encompasses safety by determining staffing and skill mix requirements by patient need and demonstrates impact through the measurement of a range of outcomes. It is currently being implemented in acute medical and surgical care areas (Phase 1) and emergency departments (Phase 2). It is fully supported by Government and is being implemented by the HSE. To date, €56m has been invested to do this.

The Framework methodology uses new posts along with conversion of agency to permanent posts to achieve the required workforce stability. Nursing posts are a combination of registered nurses and health care assistants, and this combination refers to the skill-mix.

Implementation of the Framework to date this has delivered over 1,200 additional WTE registered nurses and health care assistants. The HSE has reported some delays with implementation, including those arising due to the recruitment freeze in the latter part of 2023. I have asked the HSE to ensure that those posts not filled in 2023 will be included as part of the HSE’s 2024 implementation plan for safe staffing. The Framework provides for ongoing evaluation on an annual basis to ensure staffing remains in line with patient need.