93. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health her plans to increase clinical training capacity across health professions in the south east; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52161/26]
Sentiment score: 0.11
Workforce planning is an important component of planning for health services. This question is about the south east. What additional clinical training capacity is being looked at for the coming years across the south east?
Sentiment score: 0.07
Recruitment is important and every additional staff member recruited in acute primary or community settings in the health service is to be welcomed. My question, though, was on increasing clinical training capacity. I know that also falls under the Minister for higher education. I think the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, was in the Chamber this week when I raised issues in relation to South East Technological University, SETU. It has plans for a new pharmaceutical, a new veterinary and a new one health building. All of that, if funded, will be important for more graduates, research and development. I spoke to the manager of the hospital a number of times. The glassworks site in Waterford is iconic because it is the former home of Waterford Crystal in Kilbarry. Now it provides opportunities to enhance SETU. I know from talking to the local hospital manager that they see the potential for a new medical school. I think I raised this with the Minister in the Oireachtas health committee in the past. I know it straddles other Departments but there is an excitement about the site that can be realised. It could be a good opportunity to increase training capacity for doctors and other healthcare professionals if it were supported.
Sentiment score: 0.20
Obviously, there has to be an element of cross-departmental and cross-ministerial work on workforce planning. The health service cannot recruit quickly enough if we are not training and training capacity is very important. I imagine a lot of collaborative work is being done between the Ministers and the Departments. What I am saying is that I will raise this with the Minister for higher education-----
Sentiment score: 0.07
-----but I am raising it with the Minister for Health also. We could also have more training capacity in the south east and get the benefit from SETU and its plans. The hospital manager, whom the Minister has praised for other matters, sees this as an exciting opportunity. The 24-7 cardiology care was a big day for Waterford and is a big step forward for health in the south east. I commend the Minister on the fact she ensured this happened. There was a campaign over a long number of years. I also commend people in Waterford and the south east, including in Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Tipperary, who came out in big numbers on a number of occasions to demand equality of access. The fact it is now there is good news for everybody in the south east.
Sentiment score: 0.40