The HSE has said it intends to pay outstanding sleepover payments to directly-employed staff in the intellectual disability and mental health services before the end of this year. IMPACT won the commitment in the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC), where further talks on the need for extra resources to properly structure sleepover rosters will start next month.

There will also be further discussions on the development of a transparent process to establish the amount of cash given to section 39 organisations to fund sleepovers, and to highlight outstanding payments needed. Sleepover payments are channelled from the HSE to section 39 bodies via Community Health Organisations.

The WRC outcome will also see a review of section 38 organisations to address gaps in the receipt of sleepover payments from the HSE.

During the talks, IMPACT official Ian McDonnell raised a range of issues including payment of the national minimum wage for HSE and voluntary sector sleepover hours. He also sought a transparent process to allow the union to establish whether sleepover funding has been forwarded to Section 39 organisations.

“We have made a fair bit of progress, but now we need to focus on the need for adequate resources and procedures to fund sleepovers in a way that complies with the 48-hour working week average required under the Organisation of Working Time Act,” he said.