3339. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health to examine the role of advanced nurse and midwife practitioners (ANPs/AMPs) in the delivery of the Sláintecare mandate of providing universal, accessible and integrated care; the steps her Department has taken to provide more ANPs/AMPs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60037/26]

Advanced nurse and midwifery practice roles have been developed in Ireland in response to patient and service needs. Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANPs) and Advanced Midwife Practitioners (AMPs) promote wellness, offer healthcare interventions, and advocate healthy lifestyles for patients and their families in a variety of settings in collaboration with other healthcare providers according to an agreed scope of practice. They manage a patient caseload, and a key factor in advanced practice is the degree of decision making and accountability.

Recommendations for the future of the health workforce within Sláintecare include enhancing access to public health and community nurses, the expansion of nursing and midwifery roles in primary healthcare teams, an increase in specialist nursing and midwifery roles (including ANPs and AMPs in community settings). ANPs and AMPs are key enablers in delivering Sláintecare's vision of providing the right care, in the right place, at the right time, as close to home as possible. Their role supports the shift from hospital-centred care to integrated, community-based and patient-centred services.

The Department of Health’s (2019) A Policy on the Development of Graduate to Advanced Nursing and Midwifery Practice provides a pathway from graduate nurse/midwife to advanced practitioner. The policy also recommended that, nationally, at least 2% of the nursing and midwifery workforce should be at ANP/AMP level to meet the needs of patients. In 2021, the Minister for Health increased the target to 3%. In December 2020, the HSE reported approximately 1.3% of the nursing and midwifery workforce were at advanced practice level (inclusive of candidate ANMPs). Continued investment in the nursing and midwifery workforce has supported growth in advanced practice, with 2.8% of nurses and midwives working at Advanced Practice level as of July 2026.

To inform continued strategic implementation and development of advanced nursing and midwifery practice, a further evaluation of the impact of advanced practice across the system has been commissioned. The evaluation is due for completion in Q3 2027.