29/01/2024 Comments are off SIPTU Health Admin
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Potentially life-saving initiative for members of the SIPTU Nurses & Midwives Salary Protection Scheme

SIPTU has teamed up with Cornmarket this January to tackle cancer through ‘Pink & Blue Power’, a potentially life-saving breast and prostate health programme for members of the SIPTU Nurses & Midwives Salary Protection Scheme. This salary protection scheme is open to SIPTU Nurses, Midwives, National Ambulance Service personnel and Health Care Assistants in the public service. More information is available here.

The aim of Pink & Blue Power is to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast and prostate cancer, while providing members with vital education, the opportunity for a once-off clinical physical assessment with a GP and a referral for further tests if needed. Women aged 30 to 49 and men aged 40 to 65 in the Scheme will be invited to attend.

Invites will be posted in 2024 in three rollout blocks (alphabetically by first name) as follows:
Rollout 1: posted in January
Rollout 2: posting in May
Rollout 3: posting in July
Places are limited and on a first-come, first served basis so book early to avoid disappointment. The cost of participating is covered by the Scheme.

The Pink & Blue Power programme was launched in response to a high level of cancer claims, and in recognition that 1 in 9 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, while 1 in 7 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. As we all know awareness and early intervention is crucial. The programme works. In a post programme survey, 92% said they know what to look for when self-checking their breasts compared to only 40% before participating.

This programme can help save lives so if you get an invite, we strongly encourage you to book.
For more, visit cornmarket.ie.

Pink & Blue Power is a benefit of the SIPTU Nurses & Midwives’ Salary Protection Scheme.

Not a member of the Scheme? Visit www.cornmarket.ie/siptu for more on benefits and how to apply.

21/10/2022 Comments are off SIPTU Health Admin
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INMO and SIPTU statement on HSE decision to close Clifden District Hospital

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and SIPTU have said the sudden decision to close Clifden District Hospital is shocking and emergency engagement is needed with staff and representatives through the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.

INMO Industrial Relations Officer, Anne Burke said: “The announcement today from the Health Service Executive that they are closing Clifden District Hospital is shocking for the nursing staff, the hospital and wider community. At a time when the health service is struggling so profoundly in terms of capacity, every possible effort must be made to maintain and increase bed capacity in the community – not regressive steps to reduce capacity and in turn create difficulties for both the public and staff.

“Neither staff or their trade union representatives were given prior notice that this decision would be announced today. This flies in the face of all that nursing staff have done to maintain services in Clifden District Hospital, particularly over the last number of weeks.

“It is not acceptable to our members that staff and the community have been treated this way. There is now an urgent need for the employer to engage with staff and their representatives. To this end the INMO is now seeking an emergency conciliation conference under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.”

Commenting on the issue, SIPTU Health Organiser, Yvonne McGrath added: “Our members are deeply shocked at the way they have been treated by management today. This is a dark day for everyone associated with Clifden District Hospital. Despite repeatedly requesting engagement through the trade unions, management have refused to meet and instead have issued this unilateral decision today. It is service users, staff and the community who will suffer as a result of this decision. We will be joining the call for an emergency conciliation conference within the Workplace Relations Commission.”

19/10/2022 Comments are off SIPTU Health Admin
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SIPTU says government report does little to resolve staffing crisis in care sector

SIPTU representatives have said that a Department of Health report on the recruitment and retention crisis for home carers and nursing home healthcare assistants will do little to resolve a problem which is threatening services across the country.

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Pat Flannery, said: “The Strategic Workforce Advisory Group on Home Carers and Nursing Home Healthcare Assistants, published last week, falls short of what is required to deal with staffing issues in the sector.

“While recommending the payment of the National Living Wage of €12.90 per hour in for-profit and voluntary settings, it does not recognise that this falls significantly short of wages for similar roles within the public service.

“The starting hourly rate for healthcare assistants and health care support assistants in the public service is €14.65 per hour. They earn €18.88 per hour at the top point of their salary scales.

“Staff will vote with their feet and opt to work for the public service, if this is not addressed.”

He added: “Other recommendations go some way to addressing the concerns of our members. These include, that as part of the tendering process for the provision of home support services, workers should be remunerated for travelling between clients’ homes and any reasonable travel expenses incurred.

“The report recommends a significant increase in the proportion of home support hours and packages provided directly by the HSE. As the situation stands, there are areas where home support packages are delivered almost exclusively by for-profit and voluntary providers.

“It also calls for the establishment of an Expert Working Group to investigate the appropriate mechanisms to reach agreement on pay and pensions for home support and healthcare assistants in the private and voluntary sector. SIPTU representatives will be ensuring that we have representation on this group.”

25/03/2020 Comments are off SIPTU Health
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SIPTU expresses concern over rising number of health workers testing positive for COVID-19

SIPTU Health representatives have today (Wednesday, 25th March) expressed concerns over the increase in the number of health workers who have tested positive for COVID-19 virus. The numbers confirmed by the Department of Health indicate that health care workers make up 26% of all cases identified in the State.

SIPTU Divisional Organiser, Paul Bell, said: “The official figures show that health care workers make up 26% of all COVID-19 cases so far identified by public health officials. 63% of these cases were not travel related and the median age is 45 years old for those infected. SIPTU members have said that the numbers are related to the availability of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). Our members are reporting that PPE is not readily available to all health workers in the quantities required. This issue must be given high priority as some hospital departments are now telling SIPTU representatives that stock rooms have no PPE left and health workers are resorting to re-using equipment normally only fit for single use. This situation is entirely unacceptable.”

Paul Bell also called on the Government to urgently review its approach to testing all health workers for COVID-19 regularly.

“While we are not being critical of the Government’s efforts to lead the country through this crisis we must express the deep concerns of our members. If we are to learn from the experiences of other countries which have successfully combatted the coronavirus surge in hospitals it must be to ensure the health and safety of all workers caring for COVID-19 patients.

“In other health services such as those in South Korea and Hong Kong, the coronavirus has been more effectively contained with the frequent testing of all health workers through a dedicated monitoring system. This can ensure that the virus does not spread more widely and that the maximum number of health workers are available for duty 100% of the time.”

He added: “Getting these critical elements of COVID-19 control right can only help public health officials bring this public health emergency to an earlier end.”

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