SIPTU calls for EU wide regulation and licensing of Health Care Assistants

SIPTU has supported the European Public Service Union’s (EPSU) call to engage with the European Commission on a feasability study into establishing a common training framework and licensing throughout the EU for all health care assistants.

Speaking today at a European Union health meeting in Brussels Health Divisional Organiser, Paul Bell said: “SIPTU has been working with our European partners over the last number of months to develop principles for minimum training and education requirements for health care assistants and for this vital health care role to be regulated and licensed.”

“The role of the health care assistant has evolved dramatically over the last number of years. SIPTU members are being given more and more responsiblities yet their hard work is not being recognised properly. Professional registration is a vital step towards developing recognition for our members.

“The HSE employs 14,000 health care assistants all of whom are providing front line hands-on patient care in both hospital and community settings yet the Irish government continues to refuse legitimate calls to register these health care professionals despite their being a recognised occupational group by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

“This European wide initiative supports our campaign to deliver better health care for patients and better jobs for communities.”

Health care assistant and SIPTU member, Cheryl Barrow Hilliard, said that the professionalisation of the health care assistant’s role is long overdue and that with the EPSU, ILO and union support recognition is within touching distance.