THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) has told unions it will put on hold the implementation of controversial proposals to cut jobs and redeploy staff pending talks next week.
In a draft document circulated to HSE managers and unions, the organisation said it was aiming to reduce management and administrative grades by 500 this year, cut its staff nurse levels by 700, and take over 1,000 personnel off its books by transferring community welfare payments to the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
Large parts of the HSE circular repeat proposals announced after the Government last month introduced a moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the public service. This includes plans to suppress two non-consultant hospital doctor positions for every new consultant post created.
Proposals in the draft HSE circular to redeploy 2,000 staff from the hospital to the community sectors have been under discussion for well over a year.
The HSE circular also warned local service and line managers that they could face disciplinary action if they breached new restrictions on the hiring of agency staff.
It said the use of agency staff to address emergency staffing deficits could only be put in place in accordance with national instructions.
The HSE said last night the draft circular had been circulated to unions and local mangers for their feedback.
“The proposals contained in the document seek to operationalise the Government’s moratorium on recruitment and will inform ongoing discussions with the unions/stakeholders regarding this matter. A number of these proposed changes have been discussed with stakeholders/unions over the last year, and we are continuing to work through each of the items with them.”
The circular said where vacancies arose, work or staff should be reallocated “both within and across institutions and pillars”.
It said its employment ceiling of 111,800 would be reduced by 940 whole-time equivalent personnel and a further 95 whole-time equivalents at management and administrative when responsibility for social welfare allowances, domiciliary care and respite allowance was transferred to the Department of Social and Family Affairs this year.
A Department of Health spokesman said both the work and the personnel concerned would be transferred to the Department Social and Family Affairs.
The circular also said 700 staff nurse posts would go this year as part of a move to change the ratio of student nurses on placement. HSE sources said these posts would be lost by natural attrition.
Meanwhile Minister for Health Mary Harney said yesterday she would be making a decision by tomorrow on the HSE’s revised service plan for this year.
The plan had to be revised to take account of the fact that the HSE is facing a multi-million euro deficit this year.
Ms Harney said in everything she did in relation to the service plan she would minimise any adverse impact on patient care.