HSE jobs strategy likely to lead to ‘major industrial dispute’ this winter – The Irish Times

A jobs strategy unveiled by the HSE this summer is likely to be the cause of a “major industrial dispute” in the health sector this winter, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

The HSE’s Pay and Numbers strategy was launched in July and sets a new employment cap of 125,420 full-time healthcare roles – the number of paid roles filled that was in place at the end of December last year.

In addition, the HSE has provisions for around 2,300 roles for new developments this year and for around 1,000 hospice staff to be transferred into the public system.

The strategy replaced a controversial recruitment embargo from the previous winter.

Representatives from the Fórsa union told the Oireachtas joint health committee on Wednesday morning that the strategy was having a negative impact on services and putting public service health at risk.

It is likely there will be a labor dispute later this year, they said.

[ HSE focus now on finances rather than patient safety, says nurses’ organisationOpens in new window ]

Fórsas members in the HSE have been voting for industrial action since last week. The union said current pressures on services will “get worse” as demand increases in the winter months.

Fórsa national secretary Linda Kelly criticized HSE spending of €79.4 million on private consultancies last year for “strategic planning and business improvement”, saying it was equivalent to spending 1,865 therapy jobs or 2,354 jobs for medical secretaries or 1,334 positions for psychology.

“Millions are being wasted on external business consultants whose very expensive advice is to cut jobs and expenses but maintain services,” she said.

Fórsa members are taking part in a series of lunchtime demonstrations at acute hospitals and other HSE facilities on Wednesday.

A protest took place at Kerry University Hospital in Tralee from 12.30pm, following similar protests at hospitals in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Mayo and other locations across the country in recent weeks.