To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of disability social worker posts that are vacant, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.

BHSCT

The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust currently have one vacant social work position across Adult Disability Services.

There are currently 8 vacant social work posts (6 temporary vacancies and 2 permanent vacancies) across Children’s Disability Services in the Belfast Trust.

NHSCT

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust have 13.8 whole time equivalent Social Work vacancies across Adult Disability Services. Two of those vacancies relate to maternity leave.

The NHSCT have 7 Social Work vacancies across Children’s Disability Services.

The NHSCT have recently completed a restructuring exercise which created a number of new Band 7 social work positions. The recruitment exercise to fill these positions has been completed and has resulted in a temporary increase to the number of Band 6 vacancies due to internal promotion. The trust is actively recruiting to these positions.

SHSCT

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust currently have 2 vacant Social Work posts across Adult Disability Services.

The Children with Disabilities service in SHSCT currently has 2 Social Work posts vacant.

SEHSCT

The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust currently has 1.68 whole time equivalent social work vacancies across their Adult Disability services.

Within the Children’s Disability Service there are 6 whole time equivalent Social Work vacancies.

WHSCT

The Western Health and Social Care Trust have 4 permanent vacancies and 1 temporary vacancy - these are in Learning Disability Services.

There are no vacant social work posts within Physical Disability services.

Within the Western Health and Social Care Trust’s Children’s disability service there are 3.5 whole time equivalent social work vacancies.