Joint DoHC/HSE Working Group on Workforce Planning in the Public Health Service

The joint DOHC/HSE working group on workforce planning was established in June 2006 and includes representatives of the Departments of Health & Children, Finance, and Education & Science, as well as the HSE and the Higher Education Authority.

In December 2007, FÁS was commissioned to build on the 2005 Healthcare Skills Monitoring Report (which provided an overview of the current and projected future demand and supply of labour for almost 30 healthcare occupations) with a view to updating it and developing a framework for the future timely analysis of the supply and demand of healthcare skills. As this will be a more detailed report, 12 healthcare occupations have been chosen for this study.

In addition, a Workforce Planning Strategy is being prepared by the Department of Health & Children and the Health Service Executive. This strategy will outline a number of principles of more effective workforce planning and the need for greater integration of workforce planning with financial and service planning.