HSE Double Jobbing Banned

Health Service Executive (HSE) workers are to be banned from 'double-jobbing' as part of new agreements reached with employment agencies.

The HSE said yesterday the measures could save more than €40 million across the wider health service this year. Under the new arrangements, staff or employees of bodies funded by the HSE will not be able to work for outside employment agencies providing workers to the public health service.

HSE National Director for human resources Seán McGrath said it had paid around €138 million last year to up to 30 separate agencies for the provision of agency personnel across grades such as nursing, allied healthcare professionals, non-consultant doctors and healthcare assistants.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation held a national protest march and rally in Dublin. The march was part of its campaign to reverse pay reductions to pre-registration nurses and midwives and was held at Parnell Square during noon.

The organization said its members had the capacity to influence the outcome of the upcoming election as it would have a block vote of over 200,000 citizens, and advised the electioneering parties to formulate plans to meet their demands.

Speaking yesterday, INMO General Secretary, Liam Doran said: “Pre-registration nurses and midwives are the lowest paid grade in the health service. They work full rosters, replacing qualified staff and are filling gaps in the service that otherwise would have to be paid at staff nurse/midwife level.

"This government decision was wrong, is fundamentally flawed and should be reversed, without equivocation immediately."

Speaking ahead of the demonstration against the elimination of pay for pre-registration student nurses and midwives National Nursing Official Louise O’Reilly of influential union SIPTU, said the union cannot and would not allow the elimination of pay for men and women who are providing vital frontline services.

"Our Union SIPTU is 101 years old – we have fought many battles with employers who have sought to downgrade the terms and conditions of our members but I have to tell you it is a new low for the Government to attempt to force men and women to work for nothing."

(DW)