Four updates on the matters being pursued daily by the union on your behalf. We are acutely aware that this is a time of extreme pressure at work and below are some of the main issue’s members are raising.
1. Vaccinations:
The priority is to ensure that patient-facing healthcare workers and elderly long-term care residents are vaccinated as soon as possible. While other groups are seeking enhanced priority, we have made it crystal clear to government and the HSE that frontline healthcare workers must remain top of the list for vaccination, and that vaccines for other groups should not begin until all Ireland’s healthcare workers are vaccinated. To be clear: this union will not tolerate a change to sequence plans which sees other groups prioritised above frontline healthcare staff.
As of Sunday night, 94,000 vaccines have been distributed – 71,000 to healthcare workers and 23,000 to elderly long-term care residents. Members have reported several cases of inappropriate vaccine distribution, this has been raised with the HSE and we have a clear commitment that the HSE will ensure that vaccines will be administered as per their priority plan. We are continuing to lobby government to ensure the speediest possible vaccination and to ensure the priority remains as set out.
If you face ongoing challenges on this issue, we have re-established a members’ hotline: the INMO’s COVID19 Surge Freephone (8:30am - 8pm, 7 days a week) on 1800 320 087, or via text on 087 719 7188.
2. Childcare:
The government are still failing to provide childcare alternatives for healthcare workers affected by school closures. We have, however, negotiated a protocol which ensures that members can put their childcare needs first.
The basic principle is that your managers must offer maximum flexibilities to allow you to attend work, including changes to hours or shifts. If none of these work, you are permitted to stay at home to mind children and will be classed as “working from home”.
A number of members have used this scheme to care for their school-age children. Any member who has genuine issues that cannot be resolved by local engagement will be fully supported by the INMO to achieve a positive outcome. If you have specific needs that your management are unable to support as per the attached circular please revert to your local INMO office for assistance.
The INMO is continuing to engage with the relevant government departments advocating for additional childcare options and supports, but in the meantime, I would encourage members affected by school closures to use this protocol.
3. PPE and mask standards:
On Friday the INMO reached formal agreement with the HSE that the FFP2 mask (a higher standard of mask, offering more protection than surgical masks) could be used in all healthcare settings. This was confirmed at national level and we are seeking clear documents to issue to the health system on this.
In the meantime, we strongly encourage members to request these masks. If refused, advise the manager refusing that you will record this as a health a safety risk and immediately raise the issue with your local INMO representative and we will intervene.
We have again today written to the CEO of the HSE asking him to instruct that these masks are provided when requested by working nurses and midwives. In addition, we have today requested the Health and Safety Authority to inspect the worker protections provided for you as frontline essential workers in the health services.
4. Compensation
Our immediate focus continues to be on safety, vaccination and childcare. We have also lodged a formal claim for compensation for the work members have been doing as essential workers on the frontlines – incorporating the missed breaks, added risks, and cancelled leave during the pandemic.
The HSE has acknowledged this claim and we will continue to pursue on your behalf via the industrial relations structures and advise you of progress. Compensation is not an alternative to a safe place of work, but it is necessary to compensate workers who have risked their own health and that of their families to continue to provide care to patients.
5. Practice and professional responsibility
As previously advised to you, the senior management team in the HSE met with us last Friday. They have acknowledged that staff cannot be held responsible for organisational risk over which they have no control, and we included this in our notice to you last Saturday. We have affirmed this to them in writing.
We will continue to update you via our full-time officials, information office and by e mail bulletins such as this.