In a significant turnaround, this week the HSE has written to Fórsa, confirming that there will now be consideration given to the Health and Social Care Professions  (HSCP) leadership role within regional executive management teams.  

Over 10,000 HSCPs signed our petition calling on Minister Stephen Donnelly to stop the HSE’s decision to exclude Health and Social Care Professionals from the management of the new HSE Health Regions.

Fórsa national secretary Linda Kelly said: “Without your participation in the campaign to stop the exclusion of HSCPs this would never have happened.”

Linda continued: “HSCPs are the second largest clinical group in the HSE. They provide vital patient care, from occupational therapy to psychology, audiology, physiotherapy, and so much more. Patients rely on their expertise and no service should be developed without their input.”

In the letter the HSE noted that following concerns raised by Fórsa and HSCPs, further consideration will be given to HSCP leadership in regional executive management teams, when REOs deliberate on “future state Integrated Service Delivery (ISD) arrangements”.

Linda welcomed the development but noted that the issue is not yet resolved, saying: “While this is a step in the right direction, we have not received an explicit commitment yet to a post for a Regional Director of HSCPs. That is what Health and Social Care Professionals believe is essential to the success of integrated care in the new regional structure. We will keep working towards that until we get it.”

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