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. 2021 Apr 23;4:39. [Version 1] doi: 10.12688/hrbopenres.13256.1

Table 18a. Estimated unit costs for a publicly employed, community based, Public Health Nurse, 2016–2019.

BASELINE (OVERHEADS 40%) 2016 2017 2018 2019
Cost component
A Wages/salary 49,544 50,294 51,177 51,861
B Salary oncosts 14,429 14,067 13,810 14,564
C Qualifications - - - -
D Overheads 19,818 20,118 20,471 20,744
E Capital overheads 6,380 6,419 6,372 6,513
F Travel - - - -
G Total costs (∑A–F) 90,171 90,897 91,829 93,682
Working time
H Number of hours worked per annum 1,669 1,663 1,669 1,668
I Ratio of direct to indirect time - - - -
Unit costs
J Unit cost per hour (G/H) 54 55 55 56
Cost component Description Sources
A Wages/salary Annual mean whole-time equivalent basic salary for Public
Health Nurse (PHN).
HSE (2020) Health Service
Personnel Census
HSE, 2020a
B Salary oncosts Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) Contribution, calculated at
10.75–10.95% of annual mean WTE basic salary for PHN for the
period 2016—2019.
Superannuation: weighted average of the public sector pension
contribution rates for pre-2013 and post-2013 pension cohorts
estimated by DPER (with adjustment for the Pension Related
Deduction/Annual Superannuation Charge). Average pension
contribution of 15–19% over the period 2016—2019 for publicly
employed PHNs.
DEASP, 2019, DEASP, 2020
DPER, 2017a
DPER, 2017b
Personal communication
with IGEES, DOH,
04/01/2021
Personal communication
with IGEES, DOH,
22/01/2021
C Qualifications Not included in this analysis
D Overheads Estimated overhead costs for utilities (e.g., light, heat,
telephone, internet), accommodation costs, office facilities, and
general supplies as well as administrative and management
staff costs using available guidelines. Baseline estimate of 40%
of basic salary.
DOT, 2009
HIQA, 2018b
HIQA, 2020
DPER, 2019
Curtis & Burns, 2019
E Capital overheads Estimated capital overhead costs based on average capital
costs estimated by the Personal Social Services Research Unit.
Estimate of 10% of total salary (basic plus oncosts) for the
period 2016—2019.
Curtis & Burns, 2018;
Curtis & Burns, 2019
F Travel Not included in this analysis
H Number of hours
worked per annum
Total number of days worked per annum (number of working
days in a given year minus annual leave entitlement and
estimated sickness absence days) multiplied by number of
hours worked per day.
Leave entitlement:
HSE, 2009a; Personal
communication with HSE,
04/02/2021
Absenteeism:
HSE, 2017; HSE, 2018; HSE, 2019a
HSE, 2019b
Number of hours per
week/day:
Labour Relations Committee, 2013
I Ratio of direct to
indirect time
Not included in this analysis