❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks data on the cost and effectiveness of overseas recruitment drives for mental health nurses, including retention rates and incentives. The response provides some cost data and FTE numbers, but lacks specific retention details due to database limitations.
AnsweredQoN 4959Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(2) For each year since July 2001 until July 2006 -
(a) what has it cost the Government to undertake the overseas recruitment drives;
(b) how many mental health nurses commence work in the Government mental health services in Western Australia;
(c) how many left the Government mental health service before six months;
(d) how many left the Government mental health service before twelve months; and
(e) how many left the Government mental health service before two years?
(3) What is the average length of time mental health nurses recruited during these overseas recruitment drives, remain employed in the Western Australian Government mental health service?
(4) What recruitment attraction and incentive payments (including relocation expenses) are offered to overseas recruited mental health nurses to come and work in Western Australia?
(5) What contractual arrangements exist for bonus payments if overseas recruited nurses remain working in the Government mental health service?
(6) What contractual arrangements exist if overseas recruited nurses leave the Government mental health service before the agreed length of time?
(a) what has it cost the Government to undertake the overseas recruitment drives;
(b) how many mental health nurses commence work in the Government mental health services in Western Australia;
(c) how many left the Government mental health service before six months;
(d) how many left the Government mental health service before twelve months; and
(e) how many left the Government mental health service before two years?
(3) What is the average length of time mental health nurses recruited during these overseas recruitment drives, remain employed in the Western Australian Government mental health service?
(4) What recruitment attraction and incentive payments (including relocation expenses) are offered to overseas recruited mental health nurses to come and work in Western Australia?
(5) What contractual arrangements exist for bonus payments if overseas recruited nurses remain working in the Government mental health service?
(6) What contractual arrangements exist if overseas recruited nurses leave the Government mental health service before the agreed length of time?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 August 2007
Responded by
Minister for Child Protection representing the Minister for Health
Response time
55 days
1. The government has undertaken two overseas recruitment drives since 2001, November 2004 and June 2007, to boost the number of mental health nurses working in mental health services in Western Australia. 93 interviews were held in 2007 which resulted in 70 recommended applications.
The Department of Health has participated in three international expos in collaboration with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia since 2006.
A Department of Health mental health service representative also participated in the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Skills Expos that occurred in London, Amsterdam and Berlin in September and October 2005 to promote job opportunities in mental health services.
Note: There is a national and international shortage of health practitioners, including those in the area of mental health. The Government has been addressing this through promoting mental health careers to secondary and tertiary students, training courses for professionals re-entering the workforce, flexible work arrangements, scholarships and the development of new service models to support the existing mental health workforce. Overseas recruitment is one of the range of mental health workforce strategies.
2. (a) For each year since July 2001 until July 2006, the Department of Health has spent the following to undertake the overseas recruitment drives.
Year
2001/2002
2002/2003
2003/2004
2004/2005
2005/2006
Cost
$0
$0
$0
$152,859
$44,301
(b - e) The current Department of Health Human Resources Database system does not enable electronic extraction or reporting of this information. I therefore provide the following data instead.
For each year since July 2001 until July 2006, the total full time equivalent (FTE) of mental health nurses working in public mental health services in Western Australia was:
Year
Mental health nurses (FTE)
2001 - 2002
1195.84
2002 - 2003
1242.15
2003 - 2004
1273.74
2004 - 2005
1351.27
2005 - 2006
1439.20
3. The current Department of Health Human Resources Database system does not enable electronic extraction or reporting of this information. I therefore refer the Member to the FTE data provided at 2(b-e).
4. Reimbursement of relocation expenses for clinical staff recruited from overseas has been provided up to $4,000. To remain competitive with other states and countries, from 1 July 2007, this amount will increase up to $20,000. If required, newly arrived overseas staff will be provided accommodation in a furnished apartment for one month up to a total value of $5,000.
5. and 6.
There is always a risk that overseas recruited nurses will leave the employment of the health service before the agreed length of time. As a risk mitigation strategy, relocation remuneration will be split into two payments. The first payment will be made upon commencement of employment and the remainder after six months of continual employment. There are no bonus payments.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
The Department of Health has participated in three international expos in collaboration with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia since 2006.
A Department of Health mental health service representative also participated in the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Skills Expos that occurred in London, Amsterdam and Berlin in September and October 2005 to promote job opportunities in mental health services.
Note: There is a national and international shortage of health practitioners, including those in the area of mental health. The Government has been addressing this through promoting mental health careers to secondary and tertiary students, training courses for professionals re-entering the workforce, flexible work arrangements, scholarships and the development of new service models to support the existing mental health workforce. Overseas recruitment is one of the range of mental health workforce strategies.
2. (a) For each year since July 2001 until July 2006, the Department of Health has spent the following to undertake the overseas recruitment drives.
Year
2001/2002
2002/2003
2003/2004
2004/2005
2005/2006
Cost
$0
$0
$0
$152,859
$44,301
(b - e) The current Department of Health Human Resources Database system does not enable electronic extraction or reporting of this information. I therefore provide the following data instead.
For each year since July 2001 until July 2006, the total full time equivalent (FTE) of mental health nurses working in public mental health services in Western Australia was:
Year
Mental health nurses (FTE)
2001 - 2002
1195.84
2002 - 2003
1242.15
2003 - 2004
1273.74
2004 - 2005
1351.27
2005 - 2006
1439.20
3. The current Department of Health Human Resources Database system does not enable electronic extraction or reporting of this information. I therefore refer the Member to the FTE data provided at 2(b-e).
4. Reimbursement of relocation expenses for clinical staff recruited from overseas has been provided up to $4,000. To remain competitive with other states and countries, from 1 July 2007, this amount will increase up to $20,000. If required, newly arrived overseas staff will be provided accommodation in a furnished apartment for one month up to a total value of $5,000.
5. and 6.
There is always a risk that overseas recruited nurses will leave the employment of the health service before the agreed length of time. As a risk mitigation strategy, relocation remuneration will be split into two payments. The first payment will be made upon commencement of employment and the remainder after six months of continual employment. There are no bonus payments.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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