Objection to top nursing post in spotlight
by Bernard Harbor
 
Éamonn accused the health minister and his department of “utter ignorance of how these vital and independent professions operate, not to mention their value to health service users and the entire health service.”
Éamonn accused the health minister and his department of “utter ignorance of how these vital and independent professions operate, not to mention their value to health service users and the entire health service.”

The Department of Health has set aside a clause in the job description of a newly-appointed chief nursing officer pending an engagement with Fórsa, which will begin on Monday (29th June).

 

The union raised objections when the original job description was released as it would have made the chief nursing officer responsible for a health and social care professions’ (HSCP) policy advisor role, which would have been located in the nursing stream.

 

The union’s head of health, Éamonn Donnelly, is insisting that the health and social care professions must have their own advocacy stream within the health department.

 

“The chief nursing officer has now been appointed, but the offending element of the job description has been set aside for the time being. Fórsa will be insisting that an HSCP policy advisor will be appointed at the same level as the CNO so that these important professions are properly recognised, respected and developed,” he said.

 

When the CNO post was first advertised earlier this year, Fórsa criticised the department for a “serious and unacceptable breach of trust,” which risked making independent health professions a subset of nursing in the departmental hierarchy.

 

Éamonn accused the health minister and his department of “utter ignorance of how these vital and independent professions operate, not to mention their value to health service users and the entire health service.”

 

In engagements with the department, the union has pointed out that the scope of the proposed CNO post, as originally drafted, was at odds with existing proposals for the creation of a HSCP advisory post to advocate for the professions and advise the department.

 

“HSCPs are autonomous disciplines and they must have their own reporting advisory and advocacy stream. The proposed CNO post would totally dilute this autonomy, and it’s simply not acceptable,” said Éamonn.

 

It’s never been more important – or more easy – to get the protections and benefits of union membership. Join Fórsa HERE or contact the union HERE.

 

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