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4.7 Deputy A.E. Jeune of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding clinical staff employed on an interim, locum, agency and contract basis during the past 12 months:
Will the Minister please give details of clinical staff employed on an interim, locum, agency or contract basis during the past 12 months, and identify any newly-created posts, indicating the days worked per week, the commencement and end dates and the total costs including fees and expenses?
Deputy A.E. Pryke of Trinity (The Minister for Health and Social Services):
As I informed the Deputy on 15th March, I will provide a breakdown of posts, costs or contractual positions relating to non-clinical staff, which has already been done. It is a fact of life that health and social care organisations are reliant on the use of interim clinical staff, and across Health and Social Services to give this such detail would be a great big piece of work. I have previously invited the Deputy to email me about any specific questions that she may have with regard to a particular post or role, and I welcome that at any time.
- Deputy A.E. Jeune :
I thank the Minister for her non-answer. I put in a written question asking for this information at the last sitting and we were not given anything on clinical staff. I do not believe it is rocket science to produce that information, in particular any newly- created posts, et cetera. It might help the Minister and the Minister may be able to help me in telling me whether, being as there is no administrative manager in the A. and E. (Accident and Emergency) Department, who the clinical manager is and the terms of the person's employment.
The Deputy of Trinity :
The matter was related to non-clinical staff and I provided that information, and again, if she wanted to email me about that specific area of A. and E. I am very happy to give her that information. I can tell her now that there is a staff member on a 6- months fixed term contract acting as Head of Nursing for unscheduled care.
- Deputy A.E. Jeune :
Is that in addition to the Head of Nursing across the hospital? The Deputy of Trinity :
If she is talking about the Chief Nurse, the Chief Nurse is obviously head of all nurses not only in the hospital but across Health and Social Services and across the Island.
- Deputy A.E. Jeune :
Does the Minister know how many Heads of Nurses we have in Health and Social
Services?
The Deputy of Trinity :
I do not have that information but I can certainly give it to her.
- Deputy A.E. Jeune :
And do we know the cost of the person in the A. and E. Department thank you, the Head Nurse in the A. and E.
The Deputy of Trinity :
This is very detailed and I do not have that information but, again, if the Deputy wants to email me with the exact information on specific areas she has I am very welcome to give her that information.
- Deputy P.V.F. Le Claire:
The first question I believe was not answered and I would have liked to have followed up the answer with a supplementary, so I would ask the Minister if she could maybe circulate a specific answer to the question that was put by Deputy Jeune of St. Brelade to all Members, and also include within that information that is being asked for, any co-relating suspensions or restricted practices that have been implemented in the last 12 months for there to be a need for these locums that have been appointed?
[11:30]
The Deputy of Trinity :
Again, that is a very detailed question. Health and Social Services across the board rely on locums and agency nurses - that is a matter of fact for every Health and Social Services Department - for people who are off sick or on training, et cetera. Regarding the restricted; I have done numerous written answers on restricted practice and suspensions but I am happy to update the Deputy on that.
- Deputy A.E. Jeune :
It appears to me that despite a written question from Deputy Higgins, a written question from myself, it is clear that any information in regard to the total costs of these short-term contracts within Health it appears that the Health Department do not want to put this into the public domain. Can the Minister please say whether this is correct?
The Deputy of Trinity :
No, it is not correct. I again say that Health and Services is very diverse and we rely on locums and agency staff, but it is a big piece of work. As it was mentioned last week, I think in a debate, that we have over 300 locum staff so immediately we meet locum doctors usage within a year. Some of them are only for a couple of days; some of them longer and to get the detailed information that the Deputy requires will take an awful lot of time. It is not just at the touch of a button, which I would like too, but it is just not feasible. I have offered again to the Deputy if she wants specific areas or specific service I am very happy to give that information.