Healthcare Unions protest over HSE Pay and Numbers strategy

Darren J Prior

Trade unions representing public healthcare workers held lunchtime protests on Wednesday, October 9, outside a Northside hospital to protest over the deep frustration among their members with the HSE’s Pay and Numbers Strategy, which unions say places an effective embargo on the recruitment of staff.

Two national protests were held on the same day – at Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown and the other at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny.

The demos were organised by SIPTU, Fórsa, the INMO and supported by Connect Trade Union and the MLSA.

The protest at Connolly Hospital was attended by hundreds of healthcare staff, most of whom work in the hospital.

However, the protest is part of an escalating national campaign by unions representing staff working in the public healthcare system across Ireland over recruitment.

The week previously, speaking before the Oireachtas Health Committee, Phil Ní Sheaghdha the General Secretary of the INMO said a cap on recruitment in the health sector will result in the “biggest own goal this country has ever scored”.

Speaking at the demo at Connolly Hospital Ms. Ní Sheaghdha said:

“Our services are not safely staffed. We need more staff. The cap is wrong.

“The public want more staff working in the public health service.

“They want to have their appointments when they are scheduled not constantly delayed and cancelled.”

The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland has also expressed major disappointment in current public mental healthcare funding and recruitment and the plans for the area for next year.

According to Dr Lorcan Martin, President of the College of Psychiatrists:

“It is highly regrettable that our meagre allocation of under 6% of the overall health budget has not been addressed.

“Demand for mental health services has never been greater in Ireland, and without adequate funding and resourcing, patients will have poorer outcomes.”

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly maintains that healthcare staff numbers are rising and to say they are not is a misrepresentation of the situation.

Speaking after Budget 2025 was announced Minister Donnelly said:

“Investment in our health service is now at its highest level in the history of the State. Budget 2025 sees an increase of almost €3 billion on 2024, supporting the continued expansion and delivery of quality services as we continue to ensure everyone is able to get the health care they need, when they need it.”

Minister Donnelly further stated that Budget 2025 will result in more than 3,300 additional staff in public health and social care services next year.

However, according to trade unions representing public healthcare workers, the HSE’s Pay and Numbers Strategy limits the number of healthcare staff that can be hired at a time when the population is growing, and many previously promised positions for healthcare staff have not been filled.

Speaking at the protest one healthcare worker and SIPTU member said:

“Since the end of embargo there has been essentially a de facto embargo again.

“Because we are not allowed to or we are unable to fill any positions that were emptied during the time of the embargo.

“So anyone who left during the time of the embargo we can no longer fill. We need more people here.

“Because we are all here for the patients at the end of the day and the more staff we have the better the service we can deliver.”

Speaking to Northside People, Luke McDermott SIPTU Health Division Organiser for the Dublin Region, said:

“The Pay and Numbers Strategy, the implement here now is that the recruitment policy is not the same that it was before.

“If an individual leaves a particular healthcare department it doesn’t automatically mean now through this policy that they are going to be replaced.

“That should not be the case. It should be automatic that management can recruit into that post that has been vacated.

“That is the crux of everything here.

“Our members are deeply frustrated at the lack of recruitment”, Mr. McDermott told Northside People.