Health staffing and visas
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor raised pressure on out-of-hours care in Carlow, limited use of an X-ray facility, and visa delays for doctors. The Minister for Health said he supported more flexible international recruitment, work was under way on visas and GP recruitment, and the Government had created 1,000 visas for home-care workers.
Last month, the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, who is in the Chamber, came to Carlow and saw the pressure on out-of-hours services and the limited use of a perfectly good X-ray facility at St. Dympna's Hospital.
The Caredoc team have met me several times on the matter of securing doctors from abroad to assist in tackling the significant workload. The atypical working scheme, AWS, visa was taking 30 working days to be issued while entry visas normally took 20 working days more, but the AWS permit only allows people to work in Ireland for 90 days. They must then leave the State and reapply. Entry visas are now taking up to eight weeks to be authorised, which is having a major impact.
We need doctors to come and work in Ireland quickly, but of more importance is the need for an injury clinic in Carlow that makes use of the good facilities already in place and allows for the service's expansion so that it properly serves the people of Carlow, where there is significant demand.
During the Minister's trip, he also visited our ambulance base. We asked for a temporary modular build there until the new build was completed. Will he fill me in on that?
Comment on this
I congratulate the Deputy on getting in approximately four different constituency matters in the one question. It shows real professionalism.
Comment on this
We will be moving rapidly on the ambulance base.
I congratulate the team in Caredoc. They showcased an outstanding service.
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There are lessons for us to learn across the board.
I acknowledge the case that is being made for additional radiology in the location.
When it comes to work visas, it is essential that we be as open as possible to the international healthcare labour market. We are working with the Irish College of General Practitioners, ICGP, and others on bringing GPs in from South Africa. There are opportunities from other parts of the world. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, worked with colleagues on creating 1,000 visas for people coming in for home care packages. We will not just be keeping an eye on the matter of work visas, but also progressing it as one of the ways of meeting healthcare workforce demands.
Comment on this
I thank the Minister.