Concern over fall in public health nurses
The number of public health nurses working in the Dublin area has dropped despite a rise in births and an increasing elderly population, it emerged today.
Brian Hayes, a Fine Gael Senator, said the Government was failing to provide adequate healthcare services both to mothers and the elderly.
Figures from the Health Services Executive (HSE) show the overall number of public health nurses in the greater Dublin area has fallen from 693 in 2001 to 686 in 2005.
Mr Hayes said in the same period the number of births has risen by at least 700 while the elderly population increased by more than 7,000.
“This means that, in relation to the care of the elderly, while there was one public health nurse for every 164 elderly people in 2001 now there is one public health nurse for every 177 elderly people,” he said.
“The same nurses, whose workload with mothers and the elderly has increased also have other commitments such as child health and work with the disabled. They and their services are stretched to the very limits. As a result, many patients are being denied vital health services, simply because the nurses can’t get to them.”
Mr Hayes said public health nurses provide vital work in the community such as ante and post natal care, services for the elderly and disabled and provide child health and protection services.
The senator claimed the figures released to him by the HSE showed the health services were failing to keep pace with the growing population.
“As a result public health nurses are being placed under unacceptable pressure and at the same time community care is suffering,” he said.
