The failure of politicians and health service managers to place the health and social care professions at the centre of service planning will hamper the implementation of the ‘Slaintecare’ health reform programme, which gained cross-party political support last year, according to Fórsa.

Fórsa officials say they are encouraged by the high number of applications to the reactivated job evaluation scheme for health service clerical, administrative and management staff, which opened last year on foot of the union’s campaign.

A Department of Public Expenditure and Reform analysis of the number and pay position of public service ‘new entrants’ is to be published by the end of March, following pressure from ICTU’s Public Services Committee. The report was originally planned for later in the year as the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) said it must take place within 12 months of the commencement of the agreement.

Fórsa has welcomed an official report that says a minimum 48% increase in the primary care workforce is needed between now and 2031, along with an extra 600 acute hospital beds. But the head of the union’s health division, Éamonn Donnelly, has also said a new approach to doctors’ contracts is needed to ease the pressure on health service waiting lists and overcrowding.

Pilot studies established to test the feasibility of allowing public servants to convert some of their leave into flexitime are expected to commence this month and conclude in June. Fórsa believes the studies will confirm that it’s doable, and will then want to see the facility rolled out as widely as possible.

Fórsa members can save lots of money with our enhanced package of financial benefits provided or negotiated by the union. Some of these are free to all Fórsa members. Others are optional benefits, available only to Fórsa members, which can mean savings on insurance, salary protection, additional pension coverage and more.