Page 8 - World of Irish Nursing April 2018

NEWS 11

Staff to be credited for Ophelia work

INMO calls for standard procedure for future red alert events

THE heroic efforts and sac- Minister Simon Harris
rifices made by nurses and and Ms Mannion
midwives during the recent confirmed that staff
adverse weather events made “who cannot get to
headlines during early March, work or whose work-
just as it was during Storm place is closed will
Ophelia in October 2017. On receive emergency
February 27, 2018, Rosarii Man- leave with pay and
nion, HSE national director of will not have to
HR, confirmed in a memo that make up time”.
staff would receive time cred- Following Storm
ited to those who attended Emma, there has
work during Storm Ophelia. been a considera-
The INMO wrote to Rosarii ble number of enquiries about red weather alert currently in
Mannion, outlining that while how members who were effect are not required to take
the INMO welcomed that unable to attend work during annual leave”.
matters have been addressed the recent weather event and • The treatment of staff who
regarding Storm Ophelia, there those who did attend work attended work during the
were still issues outstand- should be treated. As of March weather event will also have
ing with regards to future red 6, 2018, the factual position to be acknowledged. How-
weather warning events. was as follows: ever, that acknowledgement
In particular, the INMO did • Any person who could not get and the shape this will take
not accept the HSE’s position to work or whose workplace has not been agreed as yet.
as outlined in the HR memo was closed is to receive emer- The INMO and other unions
of February 27, 2018, that staff gency leave with pay and will met with the HSE on March 7
must take annual leave days if not have to make up the time and again on March 14 to dis- terms applied by the HSE, as
they cannot attend for health • This was clarified by the Min- cuss this issue and to begin the it is the INMO’s position that
and safety reasons. ister for Health, Simon Harris process of negotiating a stand- the rules that apply in the HSE
INMO interim director of on March 1, 2018 and also ard operational procedure should be applied in Section 38
industrial relations Tony Fitz- confirmed by Rosarii Mann- should weather events of this organisations.
patrick stated that this matter ion, national director of HR nature occur in the future. Members who work in Sec-
remained in dispute and in a communication to all Mr Fitzpatrick has written tion 39 organisations and
requested a meeting with Ms staff on the same date, which to the national directors of HR the private sector who are
Mannion to discuss this matter stated: “Staff who are unable for Section 38 organisations experiencing difficulty should
further. Subsequently, Health to attend for work due to the seeking that they adopt the contact the INMO.

INMO heroes during red weather alert

Ciara O’Flynn received assistance from
the coastguard in West Cork to get home
after three night shifts in a row at Cork
University Hospital
Galway ICU nurse, Niamh Cunningham, being
The orthopaedics team made it to work at Rolly Paclibar, member of escorted from Gort to UCHG by Civil Defence
University Hospital Galway staff from Connolly Hospital driver, Tom

Staff from Connolly Hospital helping one
another in and out of the snow filled car park WIN Vol 26 No 3 April 2018

Pauline Keenan, CNM2 and Karen Craig, staff nurse, working Leona Casey from University Hospital Waterford being escorted by
in ICU, Navan, thanks to the help of Meath River Rescue local services