Deputy Pearse Doherty has insisted that recruitment of staff within the Health Services must be focused on improving key front line services, and not on expanding HSE Management.
Deputy Doherty’s comments come following the recent announcement from the HSE that it is to recruit 21 Management positions across the service, despite the pressures currently facing front line staff to meet patient demand.
Deputy Doherty said in recent days there has been understandable anger in the wake of this new recruitment campaign announced by the HSE to fill some 21 managerial posts throughout the state.
“This announcement comes at a time when the Health services and, particularly those at the front line of patient care, have seen resources and staffing numbers pushed to their limits as a result of continuous cut backs and a Government imposed recruitment embargo within the public service.
“While these management posts are now to come on stream, patients and those already working within the Health services have been waiting months and even years for various nursing, medical, and consultancy positions, both community and hospital based, to be filled.
“Of course, priority should always be given to front line services and to ensuring that the necessary staffing levels are in place to meet both patient demand and the care needs of service users however, this announcement shows this clearly not appear to be the case.
“As the Dáil recess nears its end, I will be raising these very evident deficiencies and questionable recruitment practices with the Minister and where I will be stressing the need to shift this focus towards key front line patient services.”
