‘No extension’ to graduate nursing pay plan

Health unions have been given assurances by the Department of Health that the controversial graduate nursing programme is not to be extended to other health professions, including physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Nursing unions have been highly criticical of HSE plans to recruit 1,000 graduate nurses on 80% of existing pay levels under the nursing scheme. That opposition has contributed to a low uptake of the scheme and the HSE to extend the deadline for applicants.

Health Minister James Reilly told the Sunday Business Post he regretted the opposition but added: “Far from keeping this to nurses, I want to see this extended to physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and others.”

However, at talks on Croke Park II yesterday, trade union Impact said it had received confirmation from the Department of Health that the controversial programme was not to be replicated for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, or any other health professional grades.

The union also said the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform confirmed that no sanction has been given to fund a programme. It said earlier this month its national secretary, Louise O’Donnell, asked the Department of Health about its plans after Dr Reilly made a similar statement over Christmas.

“I was told then that there were no plans for a graduate programme for allied health professionals, and the department has confirmed this again today,” said Ms O’Donnell.

Impact said it understood management sees no value in such a programme “because, unlike in the nursing area, there are no large savings to be made from reducing the use of agency staff in the professions. This is because very few agency staff are used in the non-nursing health professions.”

Meanwhile, an organisation supplying nurses to the health sector has claimed it is almost 30% cheaper for the State to hire agency nurses than to directly employ nurses.

Nurse On Call said agency nurses receive the same wages as directly employed nurses, pay the same PRSI, and cost less in annual leave. It said the agency staff cost nothing in sick-leave or training. The biggest saving identified by Nurse on Call is 25% on pensions.

However, the INMO pointed out that pensions act as an almost 15% gain because staff pay 6.5% of their salary towards their pension and 7.5% through the pension levy. It said the agencies charge Vat to the HSE when they supply the nurses as well as the commission fee of 5.6%.

Labour TD attacks Reilly ‘disregard’ for nurses’ work

Health Minister James Reilly has been accused of “audacity” and “disregard” for the work of nurses by Labour TD Ciara Conway after his remarks urging graduates to take up lower-paid jobs.

Labour backbenchers will raise their concerns at today’s parliamentary party meeting over comments by Mr Reilly that nurses should take up the graduate workplace programme which pays 20% less than the normal starting salary. Their only alternative was to “emigrate or work in a fast food outlet”, Dr Reilly told the Sunday Business Post.

A number of Labour TDs say his remarks have only served to increase anger among nurses and believe his communications strategy is a problem. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has boycotted the graduate scheme, and the uptake has been so low that the deadline for applications has been extended.

Ms Conway said she intends to raise the issue at today’s meeting of Labour TDs, senators, and ministers. The Waterford TD said nurses have a high-quality third-level degree that is the envy of many other countries.

“To equate it with people working in the service industry — and there’s no harm in people working there — just shows an audacity and a disregard for the kind of work that nurses do; that’s what is being been reflected back to me,” she said.

— Mary Regan