Health staff freeze ‘will hit key services’

THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has been warned that its decision to stop all new staff appointments could affect the provision of essential health services.

Trade unions represented on the Health Service Staff Panel, including IMPACT, SIPTU and the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO), have written to the HSE demanding assurances that the freeze on new appointments announced earlier this week will not be allowed to affect the provision of essential care.

In their letter, addressed to HSE Director of Human Resources Martin McDonald, the unions said they had sought an emergency meeting of the Health Service National Joint Council on the issue.

At a meeting on Thursday night, the unions agreed to work together to oppose the HSE policy which was announced on Tuesday.

“The HSE made the announcement in an apparent attempt to reduce overall expenditure before the end of the year,” a spokesman for the unions said.

The letter to the HSE outlines a broad range of critical services which the unions say must not be affected. Services highlighted include:

* Critical care — encompassing intensive care, coronary care, theatres and acute admissions units;

* Accident and Emergency departments;

* Acute hospitals, mental health facilities and continuing care services;

* Ambulatory care services and ambulance services;

* Community services — including services to terminally ill patients, highly dependent older people and people with disabilities;

* Health and safety — including the removal of clinical waste;

* Management services — including payroll, finance, IT, maintenance and support staff.

INO general secretary Liam Doran said confirmation was needed from the HSE soon that the services outlined would be exempt from its proposal.

Kevin Callinan, national secretary of the IMPACT health division, said: “We are unanimous in the view the HSE’s decision will have a devastating effect on service provision.”