The article discusses a critical issue regarding the decline in public health nursing services in Ireland, particularly in Dublin, where many babies are at risk of missing essential developmental checks. Mr. Gloster highlighted a significant workforce reduction of public health nurses since 2019, with the most severe troubles concentrated in three Dublin regions. Development checks are vital for early identification of developmental challenges and fostering long-term health outcomes. The HSE's recent decision to prioritize nursing services highlights the urgency of rectifying this issue and efforts being made to attract new public health nursing candidates through sponsorship programs.
Public health nurses carry out free developmental checks on children, from newborns until five years old, to ensure they are healthy and developing normally.
Childhood developmental checks are essential for detecting early challenges in children's development and promoting positive health into adulthood.
The main problem is in the three regions that feed into the greater Dublin area; the rest of the country is not particularly a problem.
The HSE has made improvements to attract students to the Public Health Nurse Sponsorship programme, which is aimed at replenishing the workforce.
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