Fórsa trade union, which represents more than 30,000 workers in Ireland’s health services, is to commence a ballot for industrial action among its members in the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Members of the union will also take part in a series of lunchtime protests from next week as ballot preparations get underway. The publication of the HSE’s pay and numbers strategy in July revealed that thousands of frontline positions had been suppressed, affecting community and acute health services, mental health and services to older people.
Fórsa, Ireland’s largest public service trade union, said the ballot and protests are being organised in response to the ongoing dispute between unions and the HSE and Department of Health, specifically in relation to the thousands of unfilled posts the HSE has effectively scrapped.
The union says current pressures on services are set to get worse as demand rises in the months ahead, while existing staff are forced to cope with an insufficient complement of staff in most departments.
Ashley Connolly of Fórsa’s Health & Welfare division said continuing employment restrictions in the health sector is putting patient services under enormous strain: “Health workers are determined to take a stand, because they experience, first-hand, the negative effect it’s having on waiting times.
“While the HSE may maintain that the number of employees across the organisation has never been higher, the reality is that, against the backdrop of increased services and higher demands from an ageing demographic with more complex needs, the HSE remains under-resourced.
“The HSE has entered a process of chaotic downsizing, with arbitrary decisions being made regarding the non-filling of critical frontline positions. Our members’ ability to deliver safe services has now been severely compromised,” she said.
A recent Fórsa survey of its members working in health services attracted almost 4,000 responses, evenly divided between clerical/administrative staff and health and social care professionals (HSCPs), with 88% of respondents confirming vacancies in their departments since December 2023.
A further 42% (1,538) of respondents confirmed that the number of vacancies in their departments had increased since December 2023.
Fórsa official Linda Kelly said health staff responses revealed a demoralised workforce, coping with the additional pressures of vacant posts in their departments, but acutely aware of how it is affecting waiting times and service delivery
She added: “Dysfunctional spending patterns continue to be a problem for the HSE, which is diverting funds to expensive agency and overtime costs, in addition to the profligate spending on external management consultants. This avoidable and wasteful spending does nothing for patient services.
“Our members are protesting and balloting for action because they are fighting to protect services, fighting to improve them, and determined that the HSE and Department of Health will listen,” she said.
The Fórsa ballot will commence in the week of the 14th October. The Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (INMO) has also announced a ballot of its members in the same dispute.