Fórsa has hosted a job evaluation scheme ‘quality assurance’ event to mark the anniversary of the re-introduction of the scheme in the health service. The quality assurance process has been put in place by the joint Fórsa-employer Job Evaluation Unit to ensure consistence in the application of the scheme and to address procedural problems as they arise.

Fórsa head of health Éamonn Donnelly said the number of assessments had accelerated recently following union pressure for extra resources in the unit, which is also stepping up training to provide additional teams to carry out assessments.

The reactivated job evaluation scheme for health service clerical and administrative staff opened last year on foot of the union’s campaign. An eight-year suspension of the scheme created a lot of pent-up demand from workers who took on substantial extra responsibilities as clerical and admin staff numbers fell dramatically during the crisis.
 
The scheme, which is open to clerical and administrative grades III to VI, and related grades, offers staff the prospect of an upgrading if their job roles and responsibilities are found to have increased sufficiently.