Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister of Health to detail any steps being taken to ensure that Health and Social Care Trusts are able to maintain minimum safe staffing levels in maternity services.
Minister of Health: The Department recognises that maintaining safe staffing levels within maternity services is critical to ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality care for women, babies and their families.
Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts are responsible for the day-to-day management of their workforce and for ensuring that staffing levels are maintained at a level that supports the safe delivery of services. HSC Trusts continuously monitor staffing levels, patient acuity and service demands, and implement a range of measures to mitigate workforce pressures where they arise, including targeted recruitment, the use of temporary staffing arrangements and the redeployment of staff where appropriate.
At a regional level, the Department continues to work closely with HSC Trusts, the Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council (NIPEC), the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency (NIMDTA), universities and other stakeholders to strengthen the maternity workforce pipeline. This includes supporting undergraduate midwifery education and training, promoting recruitment and retention initiatives, and ensuring an appropriate supply of trainee obstetricians and gynaecologists.
In addition, the Department is progressing implementation of recommendations arising from recent reviews of maternity and neonatal services, including those relating to workforce planning, staff well-being, leadership and service sustainability. Consideration is also being given to developing regional workforce models and staffing guidance to support safe and sustainable maternity services across Northern Ireland.
While workforce pressures continue to be experienced across health and social care services, ensuring that maternity services are appropriately staffed remains a priority for the Department, and work is ongoing with HSC Trusts to address recruitment and retention challenges and support the delivery of safe care.
ENDS
