Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

815. To ask the Minister for Health when further student nurse placements will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5671/21]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

875. To ask the Minister for Health if a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) will be addressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5905/21]

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 815 and 875 together.

On Saturday 16 January, I announced the suspension of supernumerary clinical placements for student nurses and midwives in Years 1-3. This was following a request from the HSE and a recommendation to me from the Chief Nursing Officer in my Department. The HSE asked for student placements to be deferred for at least two weeks so that more experienced, qualified nurses could be freed up to deal with the presenting surge. Ordinarily, these senior nurses are part of the infrastructure that helps support/oversee these student placements.

Last week the number of patients in hospitals receiving critical care remained exceptionally high. In addition, a significant number of staff across the whole system were absent on COVID-19 leave. These factors combined meant that the necessary staff to support clinical placements were not yet available to return to these roles. Therefore, it was not possible to resume 1^stto 3^rdyear supernumerary clinical placements on Monday 1 February 2021. However, intern and 4^thyear supernumerary placements continue uninterrupted. 

I  fully understand and regret that the necessary decision to suspend placements has been a cause of concern to students. Continuation of  education, in the supportive environment it requires, is paramount, and placements will be resumed as soon we can be confident that the appropriate infrastructure is in place to support this..

The Chief Nursing Officer has been in regular contact with all students via their colleges and wrote to students on Friday 29 January, 2021 to inform them of the latest decision and  assure them that,  my Department continues to work with the Higher Education Institutions, the NMBI ( the regulator) and  the HSE to reduce the effect the delay in resumption might have for students in progressing through their programme of education.

All relevant information is currently being analysed and a decision regarding resumption of placements will be made imminently. Following this, the Chief Nursing Officer will issue a further update to all students.