Campaign by health staff continues as dispute with HSE and Department of Health intensifies
Members of the Fórsa and SIPTU Trade Unions at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda, took part in a protest outside the hospital at lunchtime yesterday (Thursday). They say that the HSE is operating what is in effect an embargo on recruitment which is having devastating consequences for both patients and staff.
The protest was one of a series of lunchtime protests organised by the unions, in response to the HSE’s suppression of thousands of frontline health posts, affecting community and acute health services, mental health and services to older people.
The protest in Drogheda follows similar protests in Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny and Offaly, while more protests are to take place in the coming weeks.
SIPTU Organiser, Luke Bell, representing SIPTU members in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, said “Our members are deeply frustrated at the lack of recruitment in certain areas of the hospital; and are concerned about the potential impact on services. It’s clear to them that the HSE’s policy on recruitment is not fit for purpose and places an effective embargo on the recruitment of staff.”
Mr Bell concluded “We believe that this policy needs to be reversed, so we can have meaningful, local engagement with the employer to resolve recruitment issues where they are arising.”
From next Monday (14th October) Fórsa members at Our Lady of Lourdes, and other HSE employments in the region, will be balloted for industrial action, up to and including strike action, as part of the ongoing campaign.
The union has said current pressures on services are set to get worse as demand rises in the winter months, while existing staff are forced to cope with an insufficient complement of staff in most departments.
Ashley Connolly, an official with Fórsa’s Health and Welfare division, said continuing employment restrictions in the health sector is putting patient services under enormous strain.
“Health workers are determined to take a stand, because they experience, first-hand, the negative effect it’s having on waiting times” she said.
“While the HSE may maintain that the number of employees across the organisation has never been higher, the reality is that, against the backdrop of increased services and higher demands from an ageing demographic with more complex needs, the HSE remains under-resourced.
“The HSE has entered a process of chaotic downsizing, with arbitrary decisions being made regarding the non-filling of critical frontline positions. Our members’ ability to deliver safe services has now been severely compromised.”
SIPTU Sector Organiser, Damian Ginley, said: “Our members are protesting to highlight the fact that, despite talk of record-breaking levels of investment in the public health service, certain frontline roles have not benefitted to the same extent as others from that increased investment.”
He added: “Given the delivery of modern healthcare requires a multi-disciplinary approach, we are of the view that more must be done to invest in these areas to the benefit of the services that patients rely on.”
