The health workers’ union IMPACT has demanded an immediate rethink by the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, on his policy for implementing cuts in hospital services.
The call came after a meeting today between the union and the Western Health Board over its plans to cut between 150 and 200 administrative jobs in a cost-cutting drive.
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Mr Kevin Callinan, IMPACT’s national secretary, said the WHB told the union delegation that it was uncertain how services would be affected by the proposed job cuts. He said the board confirmed, however, that the plan involved redundancies rather than a freeze on employing new staff.
The Department of Health has told the WHB it must save €1.15 million next year. The Minister said this can be achieved through not filling 85 proposed posts. However, the WHB insists that a detailed analysis of its financial position by its chief executive officer, Dr Sheelagh Ryan, shows this is not possible.
She held a meeting with Department officials last night that ended without any change in her stated position that up to 200 staff would have to go.
Mr Callinan said today’s meetings showed the Minister’s calculations of what savings can be achieved are wrong, and will have implications for other health boards too.
"I am calling on the Minister to look again at his approach and take responsibility for a policy that is bound to damage health services in the west and across the country," he said. "His department’s approach flies in the face of his election promises and the Health Strategy."
He said the loss of clerical and administrative staff would inevitably mean doctors and nurses would end up performing their duties, leading to a decline in patient care.
IMPACT represents over 20,000 health workers including clerical, administrative and managerial staff. It has pledged to resist any cut in permanent or long serving temporary staff numbers in the WHB.
