Fórsa’s Health & Welfare divisional executive has formally agreed to the terms of WRC proposals, issued in mid-September, regarding Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) networks and an operating model.
The proposals followed a series of engagements between the HSE and Fórsa at the WRC in August and September.
In order to facilitate talks, Fórsa suspended an instruction to members in August to cease cooperation with reporting arrangements in interim CHO governance structures.
The proposals cover a range of areas, including health and social care professionals, clerical admin, management grades, social care and primary care structures, and Grade VII evaluation.
Eamonn Donnelly, head of Fórsa’s Health & Welfare division, wrote to the HSE on Monday (8th October) identifying the immediate steps required to implement the proposals:
- Sign-off on the role description of Community Healthcare Network Manager, followed by local discussion and agreement on the establishment of a learning site in each CHO area
- Immediate examination of In-Charge III claims which have been processed through the Labour Court or adjudication service
- Nominations for the joint union/management group for the examination of further claims
- A formal response from the HSE on outstanding claims (hospital managers, heads of finance and employee relations managers) by the end of October
- Joint referral to the WRC on the structures in social care
- Joint referral to the WRC on the support sub-structure beneath the level of head of primary care
- HSE to set out formal grounds for not conceding to Fórsa’s claim to have Grade VII posts eligible for the job evaluation scheme
Eamonn said that it would also be necessary to discuss confined competitions for Grades IV to VII in each CHO area, and to discuss terms of reference for a review of the McHugh/Doran report (2004) regarding career progression for health and social care professionals.
He said an increase in staff resources in the Job Evaluation Unit needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
