Report of the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery

The Minister for Health established the Expert Review Body (ERB) on Nursing and Midwifery in March 2020 to conduct a review of the nursing and midwifery professions as part of the resolution of the industrial dispute in in 2019.

The Report of the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery (ERB Report) was subsequently published in March 2022 and provides an overview of the professions, acknowledging the immense contribution of nurses and midwives and the ongoing excellence in care delivery, particularly considering the timing of the Report, evident in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It contains 47 recommendations that will support nurses and midwives to continue to learn and develop in professional roles, enabling significant reform and ensuring critical Sláintecare priorities are realised.

The 47 recommendations are under 4 distinct headings Nursing and Midwifery

• Workforce, (14 recommendations)
• Education and Professional Development, (17 recommendations)
• Digital Health (7 recommendations), and
• Governance and Leadership Structures (10 recommendations)

The implementation plan for the recommendations contained within the ERB Report was approved by Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly in September 2022. The national oversight group known as ERB Implementation Oversight Team (IOT) was established and is chaired by the Chief Nursing Officer. The inaugural meeting took place November 2022.

Five Implementation Action Groups (IAGs) were established in April 2023 to progress implementation of prioritised recommendations. Implementation of these recommendations also considers national strategies. Work on these and the other recommendations progressing outside of the IAGs is underway and being monitored by the IOT.

The Implementation Over Group (IOT) is chaired by Ms Rachel Kenna, Chief Nursing Officer in the Department of Health.

Membership of the Implementation Over Group includes:

• Rachel Kenna, Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health
• Sheila McClelland, CEO Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland
• Annemarie Hoey, National Director of Human Resources, Health Service Executive
• Bridie O’Sullivan, Chief Director of Nursing/Midwifery, Health Service Executive
• Damien McCallion, Office of the Chief Operations Officer, Health Service Executive
• David Timmons, Area Director of Mental Health Nursing, Health Service Executive
• Fiona Hanrahan, Director of Midwifery & Nursing, The Rotunda Hospital
• Dr Geraldine Shaw, Office of Nursing and Midwifery Services Director. Health Service Executive
• Georgina Bassett, Deputy Chief Nursing Officer, Department of Health
• John McCamley, Sector Organiser, Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union
• Prof Josephine Hegarty, The Heads of University Schools and Departments of Nursing and midwifery
• Louise McGirr Assistant Secretary General, Health Sector Employment and Industrial Relations Police, Department of Health
• Peter Hughes, General Secretary Psychiatric Nurses Association
• Phil Ni Sheaghdha, General Secretary of The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation

Secretariat to the group was provided by Michelle Quinn, Project Officer, Nursing and Midwifery Policy Unit, Department of Health.