AQW 21754/22-27


Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast


Tabled Date: 31/01/2025
Answered On Date: 17/02/2025
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the number of unfilled posts within social work teams, broken down by Health and Social Care Trust.


Answer:
Information on Health and Social Care (HSC) staff in post and vacancies actively being recruited by staff group and HSC Trust, is published by my Department on a quarterly basis at the link below. The latest information available refers to 30 September 2024.
https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/topics/dhssps-statistics-and-research/workforce-statistics
At 30 September 2024, there were 171 social worker vacancies actively being recruited by HSC organisations and 4,666.8 whole-time equivalent social workers in post. A breakdown of these vacancies and staff in post by HSC organisation is detailed in the table below.
HSC social worker vacancies actively being recruited and social workers in post (WTE), as at 30 September 2024
HSC Trust
Vacancies actively being recruited
Staff in post (WTE)
Belfast
37
1,081.1
Northern
13
998.5
South Eastern
17
816.5
Southern
62
784.5
Western
39
906.9
Other HSC organisations
3
79.4
Total
171
4,666.8
NOTE : Trusts recruit a large number of newly qualified social workers between June and September each year, therefore the number of vacancies rises post September. The data provided does not reflect staff absence from work due to illness/maternity leave etc.