MPACT is continuing discussions with the HSE about a national campaign to recruit clerical and administrative staff to the national health body. The recruitment drive will focus on grades III to VII.
Advertising for national panels, which are likely to be of two years duration, is expected to commence in January. It’s hoped that the first panels will be in place by March 2017.
A new online skills test will form part of the application process. “Due to the huge number of applications which will be received as soon as the campaign goes live it’ll be necessary to use an online test to shortlist the number of candidates for interview. The test will be based on verbal and numerical competencies," according to IMPACT national secretary Éamonn Donnelly.
Éamonn said the creation of the clerical and administrative panels is a very welcome development, as it is crucial to grow the capacity of health services at a time of growing demand. “IMPACT fought hard for these recruitment measures against a background of continuing noise about our health services being over-populated with administrators.
“It is one of the enduring myths about health services but one that we’ve successfully overcome both nationally and locally, such as the recent dispute at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda,” he said.
Community healthcare organisation talks
Meanwhile, IMPACT has accepted an invitation from the HSE to commence bilateral negotiations on Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) structures. Negotiations commence tomorrow (Tuesday 29th November).
Éamonn explained that a consultative forum, established to negotiate CHO structures, has ceased activity for the moment. “This is because some of the other unions involved in the forum have indicated that they’re not in a position to participate while outstanding issues under the Lansdowne Road Agreement remain,” he said.
Éamonn explained that IMPACT had expressed its desire to get to the negotiating table as soon as possible, in order to provide clarity and certainty to the grades represented by the union about the new structures. He said tomorrow’s initial meeting will be aimed at setting out the parameters and scope of the discussions.
