75 full-time equivalent healthcare positions were created at University Hospital Kerry during 2022.
That’s according to figures provided to Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara by the HSE, in response to a parliamentary question.
The figures show the number of whole-time equivalent (WHE) healthcare professional positions created in HSE-run hospitals across the country in 2022.
Whole-time equivalent staff figures are made up of individual full-time positions, and part-time positions which work the same number of hours when added together.
The figures show there were 938 whole-time equivalent positions in University Hospital Kerry at the end of 2022, up from 862 at the end of 2021.
The majority of the new positions were in nursing and midwifery, with 52 new whole-time equivalent staff nurses and midwives.
The hospital also increased staffing levels overall in medical and dental departments, and in health and social care professional departments.
There were decreases in non-consultant hospital doctors/interns, nurse and midwife managers, and health science/diagnostics.
UHK is currently recruiting permanent consultant radiologists, and there is rolling recruitment for registrars and non-consultant doctors.
The hospital is also recruiting clinical nurse managers, and staff nurses for its Emergency Department and general wards.
Five hospitals had overall reductions in staff levels during 2022.
