Healthcare unions have written to the HSE today regarding the proposed Pay and Numbers Strategy announced by the HSE last week.
The NJC Staff Panel of Trade Unions have expressed concern over the lack of consultation over the proposed strategy, which they say fails to meet the HSE’s obligations under the Employees (Provision of Information and consultation) Act 2006.
The unions state that the HSE has suppressed over 2000 posts in the HSE, across all grades, including nurses and other healthcare professionals, adding that these were funded posts and cannot be allowed to be guillotined.
The unions have also requested that the HSE provide details of the funded posts to be suppressed under the new strategy, stating that they are “extremely concerned” about the potential for unsafe staffing and compromised patient care.
NJC chair and INMO Director of Industrial Relations Albert Murphy said
The proposed Pay and Numbers Strategy announced last week is likely to have a very serious impact on patient safety and staff wellbeing across the health service.
Urgent engagement with unions is needed to ensure changes to staffing policies in the HSE don't further impact patient safety.
Staff numbers need to be based on patient numbers and patient needs. This is the principle of the government’s own safe staffing framework, which it is still in the process of implementing.
Head of SIPTU's Health Division Kevin Figgis said
We have written to the HSE requesting urgent engagement, not only to rectify the breach of our consultation agreement but also on what the proposed recruitment changes will mean for our members.
We currently need to be taking every possible step to grow and retain the workforce, but these measures have the potential to curb that very necessary growth, increase the risk of outsourcing, with a direct impact on staff and patient safety.
Head of Fórsa's Health and Welfare Division Ashley Connolly said
Healthcare unions are looking for practical solutions to the problem of safe staffing and the proposed strategy does not solve that problem.
The HSE needs to engage properly with unions to devise a strategy which protects services. Our members have expressed their concern at the ability to deliver services in these circumstances when it appears the posts that lay vacant on the 31st December 2023 may not be replaced. We require adequate staff planning at a local and national level to ensure safety of staff and patients into the coming winter and next year.