Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 July 2024
415. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Health to provide details on how his Department plans to support the development of clinical nurse specialists in the community, which is essential for the improvement of services and the development of Sláintecare, especially during the current recruitment and retention crisis in the healthcare sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30442/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government acknowledges the very important part that Clinical Nurse and Midwife Specialists (CNS/CMS) play in our health sector. They have a key role in the delivery of specialist care and effective coordination of care for patients in our Health Service.
The Department of Health is committed to the continued and ongoing development and support of the CNS and CMS roles going forward. There has been significant growth in the numbers of CNS/CMS in recent years as the roles are seen as vital for the delivery of integrated community care under Sláintecare reforms. In April 2024, there were 2,579 whole time equivalent (WTE) CNS/CMS, including those on a pathway to the post, an increase of 968 WTE since 2019.
The HSE is targeting recruitment of a total of 367 Clinical Nurse Specialist grade staff to the ECC Programme, 259 of which have been recruited to early 2024. 171 of these posts were on-boarded to HSE Primary Care by the start of 2024, with 49 Clinical Nurse Specialists recruited to Older Person’s Services and a further 39 to HSE Acute Hospital Services, through the ECC. These Clinical Nurse Specialists work within the ECC multidisciplinary community teams, providing care to patients, and facilitating the delivery of the end-to-end care pathways as part of the model which provides many different job opportunities for CNSs and CMSs to work to the top of their license.
Deputy may be aware I have set a policy target for 3% of the nursing and midwifery workforce to be at advanced practice level. While we will continue to build the CNS and CMS workforce in line with patient need the additional opportunities created by increasing Advanced Practice roles will also be available for CNSs and CMSs. Funding was provided in 2023 to recruit an additional 80 WTE Advanced Nurse and Midwife practitioners bringing advanced practice roles up to 2.4% of the nursing and midwifery workforce.
