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SIPTU Health members incensed at omission from Oireachtas Health Committee
SIPTU members were incensed by the omission of SIPTU Health representatives from the Oireachtas Health Committee today (Tuesday, 9th February) where the situation of Covid-19 frontline health workers was discussed and debated.
SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “The reality is that Covid-19 has not been selective in whom it infects. However, it appears that the Committee has been selective in the submissions they sought and heard. Some 70% of those infected workers had no voice at the proceedings.”
“As has been widely reported, health care workers in Ireland have suffered greatly as a consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a total of 24,250 confirmed cases of Covid-19 infections of health care workers with the vast majority of those working in support grades particularly those working as Health Care Assistants. Health Care Assistants were recently deemed to be the most at risk in a seroprevalence study examining the levels of anti-body evidence of Covid-19 infection among healthcare workers at St James’s Hospital in Dublin and University Hospital Galway (UHG).
“For these unsung heroes not to have their voice heard in our national parliament is absolutely disgraceful and sadly suggests that workers are not all in this together. While it is right that the voices of nurses and doctors are heard, the health service is a multi-disciplinary team. Our members are going through the same fears and anxieties over the roll out of the vaccine, the same pressures on staffing levels and the same realities as all other workers in the health service.”
He added: “SIPTU members are calling on the Committee to rectify this glaring oversight and to acknowledge the essential contribution of all SIPTU members working in our health service, as a matter of urgency.”
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Important vaccination update for SIPTU members.
Updated: 18:30
An important update was issued by the HSE this evening to confirm the next stage of the roll out of the vaccination programme.
A revised, more detailed sequencing document re priority HCW groups is available to read here
The sequencing document confirms priority is based on exposure and/or risk and not by grade or title.
More here…
SIPTU representatives met this week with the HSE to discuss the current standing of the vaccination programme and the roll out of vaccines to the healthcare workforce.
The following update was received:
- SIPTU representatives understand that 129,156 vaccines have been distributed to date through the hospital groups, this includes those distributed through the National Ambulance Service and the temporary clinics established for GPs.
- We understand a further 79,132 vaccines have been distributed through the Long-Term Residential Care settings.
- We have been advised dose two is being rolled out this week with 25,000 doses for people in Long-Term Residential Care settings with a further 22,000 doses for staff.
- SIPTU representatives raised concerns at the reported failure of the HSE to administer vaccines as per their own priority list issued on Tuesday 12th January 2021 and received an assurance the sequencing document for prioritising healthcare workers would be strictly adhered to upon the resumption of first dose vaccinations in the coming days.
- We repeated our request for a report on the vaccinations issued to date and compliance with the HSE sequencing document dated Tuesday 12th January 2021.
- SIPTU representatives were informed the expected supply of Astra-Zeneca vaccine will be applied to administer the first dose vaccine to the priority categories of frontline healthcare workforce awaiting same with effect from next week.
- The HSE has confirmed the delivery is expected this weekend and stated it will “greatly improve” the availability of the vaccine to the priority healthcare workforce.
- SIPTU understands approximately 20,000 doses are expected next week and further increases in delivery quantum are expected of Astra-Zeneca vaccine over the following weeks in February.
- The HSE has confirmed it expects the “vast bulk” of the priority healthcare workforce categories will receive their first dose vaccine by the end of February.
- We are awaiting further clarity on the dose interval for the next four weeks.
- The HSE has confirmed it will concentrate on completing first dose vaccination of the priority healthcare workforce categories starting from next week. SIPTU has been advised the HSE plan for next week includes approx. 8,000 vaccines for mental health and intellectual disability services.
- The HSE has also confirmed it is completing work on the commissioning of a Portal for registration for the vaccine. It is expected to be completed by the resumption of the first dose vaccines and it will have built-in priority allocation software which will allocate appointments as per the national sequencing document.
- SIPTU representatives are awaiting further information on the preparation for a Workforce Plan for the Community Vaccination Teams.
If members have any queries on the roll out of the vaccination programme please contact the union by emailing COVID19info@siptuhealth.ie
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SIPTU seeks emergency meeting with health minister over clinical placements for student radiographers
SIPTU representatives have today (Friday, 5th February) written to the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, seeking an emergency meeting in order to address serious concerns and challenges raised by student radiographers on clinical placement during the pandemic.
SIPTU Industrial Organiser, John McCamley, said: “The present situation is completely unsustainable. It is scandalous that up to 400 student radiographers are making an essential contribution on the frontline and are not being recognised for their work. The reality is that clinical placements involve direct patient care and assisting qualified radiographers in X-ray departments and theatres in hospitals. At present, student radiographers are being asked to put themselves at great risk for no reward.
“Student radiographers can also be deployed to any hospital across the country. This has resulted in some students paying for additional accommodation while on clinical placement with no option but to continue to pay rent for their regular accommodation close to the college.”
He added: “The pandemic has exacerbated these problems. Due to fears of cross-contamination, lockdowns and public health restrictions many students are unable to earn any income by working part-time, causing them further financial difficulties. Student radiographers with no choice but to self-isolate have to make up the time later in the year. They are not entitled to sick pay or any of the other protections enjoyed by directly employed staff even though they face many of the same challenges and risks as other frontline workers.”
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Clinical placements for student nurses and midwives suspended until 8th February
Clinical placements for student nurses and midwives suspended until 8th February
SIPTU representatives and nursing unions were informed tonight (Thursday, 28th January) that clinical placements for first, second and third year student nurses and midwives are to be suspended until at least Monday 8th February and are likely return on a phased basis.
SIPTU Industrial Organiser, John McCamley, said: “Over the last number of days, SIPTU representatives have raised our members deep frustration and annoyance at the haphazard manner way this process has been handled and the very real concerns held by student nurses and midwives around their education, health, well-being and financial challenges.
“It is our understanding that students will not have to make up the time for the first two weeks of this suspension as different processes are being put in place to facilitate this. However, no clarity has yet been provided with respect to the additional week or any further additional weeks of hiatus.
“At the meeting today, the Department of Health again confirmed that the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, will sign off on the recent recommendations by Professor Tom Collins and introduce a €100 clinical placement grant. We would encourage the Minister to backdate this payment at a minimum, as suggested by Professor Collins.”
He added: “SIPTU will continue to argue for proper protections within the workplace for students across all health grades and to insist that appropriate financial remuneration is provided for those who carry out essential frontline duties.”
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SIPTU demands transparency in vaccine sequencing programme
SIPTU representatives have today (26th, January) demanded that the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, commits to publishing regular progress reports of the Covid-19 vaccine sequencing programme across the health service.
SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “Over the last number of days the confidence in this rollout has taken a real battering. The fears and anxiety of tens of thousands of frontline staff working through this pandemic have been heightened by this three week gap in vaccinations.”
“To rebuild confidence in the fair and transparent implementation of the Covid-19 vaccine sequencing programme we are calling on the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, to publish regular progress reports of its implementation.
“This report should include a full breakdown of the subsets and categories of worker vaccinated. This will require the Minister to come clean on the categories of workers who have been vaccinated so far and explain the deviation in full.”
He added: “If there is any further deviation from the sequencing programme, or if there is more evidence of people skipping the queue, then full clinical advice from NPHET must also be published in full. This is the only way to ensure that the process is transparent and that the Minister can be held to account for its full implementation.”
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SIPTU says health worker vaccination pause a cause of major concern for members
SIPTU representatives have today (Friday, 22nd January) said the rapid growth in the Covid-19 infection rate of Health Care Workers (HCWs) to almost 7,000 in the last two weeks is a cause of major concern in light of the Health Service Executive (HSE) plans to pause first dose vaccinations for workers across the health service until early February.
SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “This planned vaccination pause could not come at worse time for health workers. Over the last number of days, there is a heightened anxiety and frustration among our members who about alleged deviations from the HSE sequencing programme. This programme was meant to be designed to underpin the safe and responsible distribution of the vaccine and we all need to have complete confidence in it. Numbers published today by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) also clearly illustrate the need for health workers to be vaccinated with 6,834 workers infected over the last two weeks. This is a total of 20,000 HCWs infected since the pandemic began in March and a sharp increase of over 50% in infection rates since Christmas.”
The release of these stark figures comes following the publication of a seroprevalence study examining the levels of antibody evidence of Covid-19 infection among healthcare workers that confirms Health Care Assistants are the most at risk group for contracting Covid-19.”
He added: “The Government must now take immediate action to protect our frontline health workers by doing all they can to rapidly increase the supply of vaccinations coming into the country. They must also be upfront with people about the importance of sticking to the sequencing programme while protecting our most vulnerable and giving confidence to all those on the frontline of our health service that their dose is on the way.”
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SIPTU says lack of consultation to suspend student placements will deepen crisis in health service
SIPTU representatives have today (Sunday, 17th January) said the lack of consultation surrounding the decision by health minister, Stephen Donnelly, to suspend student placements will only deepen the serious crisis in the health service.
SIPTU Health Divisional Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “SIPTU representatives have been inundated with calls from members who received calls late last night informing them that their placement was suspended.
They expressed their frustration over this sudden change in policy and the potential impact it will have on the provision of essential health care. Members are furious over the stunning lack of proper consultation and say this decision will only deepen the crisis in the health service for students and health care staff working on the frontline. Students are rightly worried about their status and how this decision will impact on their training. They and other health workers across the service are also deeply concerned about the ramifications this may have on patient care.”
He added: “SIPTU representatives have for weeks been demanding that all students on clinical placements throughout the Covid-19 crisis including nurses, midwives and radiographers are recognised and paid for their essential, frontline work.”
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SIPTU says safe functioning of the health service in grave danger
SIPTU Health representatives have today (Friday, 15th January) said the Covid-19 infection rates of health care workers are unsustainable and putting the safe functioning of the health service in grave danger.
SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Kevin Figgis, said: “Over 5,000 health workers have been infected with Covid-19 since Christmas. Four out of five infected are women and workers in support grades including Health Care Assistants, porters, catering assistants and home care workers are in the majority of those infected. This level of infection is completely unsustainable.
“Health workers across all grades are being decimated while this virus is raging out of control across our health service. It is clear that health care workers are not safe in work and the current rate of infection is putting the safe functioning of the service in grave danger. We are again calling for the immediate recruitment of additional and essential staff to assist all health workers on the frontline.”
He added: “While this data is alarming and a cause of real concern for our members its publication is to be welcomed. It provides public health officials and union representatives with an opportunity to map out realistic solutions and stronger workplace protections for all.”
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SIPTU concerned about delays for ambulances at emergency departments
SIPTU representatives have expressed concern that issues of bed capacity and overcrowding in hospital emergency departments (EDs) will continue to affect the work of the National Ambulance Service. They have called on the HSE to immediately fast track the recruitment of thousands of additional staff as a matter of urgency in the fight against Covid-19.
SIPTU Organiser, Ciaran Sheridan, said: “SIPTU members at Letterkenny University Hospital have reported that the situation in relation to delays to the admission of sick patients has slightly improved. However, there are concerns that the distressing scenes witnessed last Sunday will be repeated. In attempts to ensure availability of emergency ambulances we have sought details regarding resilience measures and the provision of additional resources to prevent, or alleviate, further delays.”
Don Brennan, an Advanced Paramedic and SIPTU Shop Steward said: “We are pre-hospital practitioners and to be parked up outside an ED providing care presents new challenges for us. It is not conducive to optimum patient care and increases the difficulties in providing an acceptable level of comfort.”
SIPTU Ambulance Sector Organiser, Miriam Hamilton, said that the issue of delays in handing over patients at hospitals is not new.
“SIPTU members have previously demanded the introduction of an emergency hand-over protocol to assist ambulance crews who are unable to deliver patients to hospital staff due to overcrowding and lack of bed capacity. The lack of capacity in receiving hospitals is preventing our members in the NAS from doing their jobs. Trained ambulance professionals with highly equipped vehicles are sitting outside hospitals when we need them to be available to respond to emergencies in our communities,” she said.