Fórsa members in Cork and Dublin began a series of national lunchtime protests yesterday, standing alongside INMO and SIPTU colleagues. The protests took place outside Cork University Hospital (CUH) and the HSE headquarters at Dr. Steevens Hospital in Dublin. 

Holding placards which tell of the huge impact the ongoing staffing crisis is having, members spoke of the stress and pressure they face when trying to do the jobs of several people. 

The quotes featured on the placards are taken directly from responses to the survey carried out in August, when Fórsa consulted members to better understand the real impact of the HSE’s decision to cut funded roles. Almost 4,000 members of Fórsa’s Health & Welfare division took part in the survey. 

The results paint a stark picture of the strain workers are under. 88% of those who took part in the survey said there is a vacancy in their department.  73% said this was having a “very negative impact” on staff and 74% said the vacancies were having a “very negative impact” on services.

Members told of the “immense stress” they were experiencing, with some calling out the “huge risk to patient safety” and serious impact on morale and well-being. 

One heartbreaking response spoke about the serious repercussions of unfilled posts on patients, saying : “The numbers we are dealing with are so huge it is a mockery to call it a waiting list because children are becoming adults while they wait.”

Another said: “We are short staffed, and my waiting lists are growing due to not having a nurse to assist me. I’m worn out and stressed trying to keep up with extra duties, filling in for vacant staff members.”

Members at yesterday’s protests painted a similar picture. Ciara Dawson, a senior occupational therapist working in mental health services who joined the protest in Dublin said: “Usually I’m eating my lunch at my desk because I just have to stay on top of work and on top of seeing patients, I can’t let them down. There is money coming into the HSE but it’s not making it down to the front line, where it really is needed. You see initiatives being put together but they’re so out of touch with the fire-fighting we’re doing front line.”

Ciara was joined by her colleague Leighton Thomas, also a mental health occupational therapist. 

Leighton told of the day-to-day reality of trying to deliver a quality service with "skeletal staff" and rising waiting lists. He said: “We have unfilled vacancies that we’ve had for several years. Now the embargo has been lifted, so they say, but all vacant posts have evaporated, they’ve gone.”

“We’re stuck in a loop of trying to provide services, running ourselves ragged in the process and really not achieving what we’re setting out to achieve, which is quality patient care. At the end of the day the service users are the ones that are suffering. There’s not enough therapists,  not enough social workers, not enough psychologists, not enough occupational therapists to actually cover what the government wants us to cover.” 

Shelly Collins, a speech and language therapist for the past 14 years, was protesting outside Cork University Hospital.  She said “We can’t give the best service because our staffing has reduced by 50% but our referral rate is up 10%. Morale is quite low because we’re not able to give our best to patients.” 

Her colleague Sheila Robinson said : “In our department we’ve lost almost 50% of staff in the past year. Maternity leave isn’t being filled; vacant posts aren’t being filled. We can’t provide 100% of the service with 50% of the people. I want the posts that have been frozen to be restored and lift the embargo. There’s a perception in the public that the embargo has been lifted, and that’s not the case. We’re walking in the door every day with only half of our team here and still trying to cover the same amount of patient care, if not more. I agree with being efficient, but you need the people to provide the services.”

Further protests will take place in the weeks ahead at the following locations:

• 9th October     St Luke's Kilkenny and Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown    
• 10th October    Our Lady of Lourdes, Louth and Tullamore Regional Hospital    
• 16th October    Cavan General Hospital and Sligo University Hospital    
• 17th October    Naas General Hospital and Mayo University Hospital    

All protests are lunchtime protests taking place between 12.30pm and 1.15pm. To take part contact your local branch or official. Meeting points and contact persons will be circulated to members in advance. 

Fórsa national secretaries Ashley Connolly and Linda Kelly urged members to attend protests saying: “We need to show the HSE that our members are saying enough is enough. Your presence at these protests is vital as the more members we have, the louder our voice will be.”

Join a union that wins. Join Fórsa.