Page 12 - World of Irish Nursing April 2018

IR NEWS 17

Tony Fitzpatrick, INMO interim director of industrial relations, reports on current national IR issues

Update on fixed travel and subsistence issues

The INMO, along with other approximately 690 staff are still and eliminate the need for fixed National Financial Regulations.
healthcare unions of the in receipt of fixed travel. The travel. however, there are significant
National Joint Council, met hSe was contacted by Revenue It was agreed at the WRC anomalies at play within the
with management on March with regards to this practice that Paul Byrne, Corporate hSe with regards to the appli-
5, 2018 in relation to fixed and must pay liability of up to employee Relations Services, cation of this. It appears that
travel and issues regarding €180,000 a year, because of would issue a detailed pro- these anomalies are down to
subsistence. non compliance detected in posal to the union side on this. individual managers interpre-
Fixed travel the 15% auditing process. To The unions will then engage tation of the circular and NFR.
Management is seeking to comply with Revenue, hSe will with their relevant members It was agreed that a specific
end the practice of fixed travel require all of those in receipt affected by the proposal and meeting would be convened
being paid mainly to employ- of fixed travel to complete the revert to the chair Aoibheann between the staff panel and
ees in the east, ChO 6,7,9, same claims documentation as Ní Shúilleabháin, to reconvene hSe representatives (including
Midlands and South. staff on normal mileage. There- conciliation. finance and hSe tax division)
At this stage fixed travel fore, the hSe is seeking that Subsistence to examine these anomalies
has been removed from most staff in these locations would The issue of subsistence is and to agree a correct and uni-
staff within the hSe, however, simply do the standard mileage covered by Circular and the form application of the rules.

ODN Section highlights issues of Pay restoration underway in S39s
major concern FURTheR to the WRC agree- years 2009-2017, were also to

AT A meeting with the INMO highlight these using the inter- ment and the letter from be returned to the office of the
Operating Department Nurses nal risk management process in the Secretary General of the chief financial officer by March
Section in February, members their workplace. Department of health, Jim 12, 2018.
outlined many concerns which Another major issue is the Breslin, on Section 39 organi- Again, S39 organisations
the Organisation must investi- introduction of operating sations, various templates and were reminded as per the WRC
gate and address. department attendants (ODA) documents have now been agreement, that if the organi-
The issues included: staffing in certain hospitals. Limerick issued to S39 organisations sation can restore pay or begin
levels, excessive on-call, inade- Institute of Technology (LIT) as part of the pay restoration to restore pay within its exist-
quate sleep time, the numbers advertised a level 8 course exercise agreed. ing overall resources, without
of staff on call, unacceptable for ODAs and there are indi- The documentation was adversely impacting services,
risk due to excessive activity cations that it is doing this in issued to organisations funded they should do so as soon as
out of hours, staff turnover collaboration with the Private by the hSe under Section 39 of possible in 2018.
within operating departments, hospitals Association, which the health Act 2004. A process has been agreed
inadequate controls around runs theatre services in some The initial exercise has of validation and assurance
theatre activity and the una- hospitals, including in Bon been carried out in respect between the unions, the hSe
vailability of intensive care Secours hospitals. None of of the organisations listed and the Department of health.
beds resulting in intensive care this has been agreed with the by the WRC in its letter of If the information is not accu-
patients being cared for in the INMO, which is in the process February 9, 2018. These are rate, and correct, it may
recovery area of theatre for of establishing the facts. the locations where the four involve the hSe initiating a site
excessive periods. Following the meeting with ICTU unions have workers in audit of payroll and other sup-
It is clear that many operating ODN Section officers, we membership. porting data.
departments are not consist- need to assess these concerns In the correspondence issued It is hoped that the above
ently applying Department of in all operating departments, by Stephen Mulvaney, hSe will assist in members work-
health circular 33/2003 on through a survey in the near chief financial officer, strict ing in S39 organisations having
on-call arrangements. future – details to follow. timeframes are given for the their pay restored in 2018. It
To examine the matter in I will be seeking national organisations to complete is also clearly apparent that
greater depth, I, and INMO engagement with hSe man- the S39 restoration template, the hSe and the Department
IROs, will be in contact with agement on these issues for which they had to be returned of health are anxious to gain WIN Vol 26 No 3 April 2018
operating departments our members. I also await by March 9, 2018. a greater understanding of
throughout the country. It terms of reference from the A signed hard copy of the the funding models within
is important that members Department of health with template, together with copies S39 organisations and their
who have any risk concerns regards to theatre on-call. of audited accounts for the expenditure.