Mr. Kevin Figgis:

My name is Kevin Figgis and I am the divisional organiser in the SIPTU health division. I am accompanied this morning by my colleague, Mr. John McCamley, who is the national official within our union for our membership within health professions such as radiography, radiation therapy, phlebotomy, nursing and midwifery.

On behalf of the SIPTU health division, we welcome the invitation to meet with members today. Our division represents more than 41,000 members within both public and private health settings. Our membership includes the widest scope of grades within the health service including health professionals, healthcare assistants, nurses and midwives, support staff and the National Ambulance Service, NAS. Our union is a strong voice within the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, staff panel of health unions and the health service union representatives on the national joint council.

We have provided a detailed submission to the committee today that seeks to highlight key issues for our members on the welfare and safety of healthcare workers within the public health system. We have demonstrated these issues in four sections, one of which is around the need for safe staffing levels for all grades and departments to ensure healthcare workers are best placed to provide for the needs of patients and service users in the evolving model of healthcare we have today. Safe staffing levels should be determined by the needs of the department and not solely on the budget that is allocated.

We have provided statistical data on the incidence of assaults in the workplace on our members and the unequal treatment of benefits that are afforded to support staff by their employer, even if they are assaulted in the same incident as other grades of staff. For the purpose of support after an assault in the workplace, support workers are classed as non-officers and are, therefore, distinguished at a lower rate of benefit than other grades deemed to be of officer status. The continued use of these types of policies is shameful on the Health Service Executive and Department of Health and they must cease.

We have outlined the activity our union has had in representing members through an investigation under the dignity at work policy. We have also provided a detailed report on the national review of the policy and the national investigations unit jointly undertaken by the Group of Unions and Health Service Executive.

Finally, we have outlined the deep concern of our union, and I know those of our fellow union colleagues, with the situation in which healthcare workers suffering from the effects of long Covid are left due to the cessation of the specific support scheme by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. There was no consultation with the unions in advance of the cessation of the scheme. The HSE stated that it has no mandate to engage on a replacement scheme due to having no authority to do so, and the Department of Health has also refused to engage to date. The Group of Unions has referred this matter to the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. To date, however, no offer has been made for conciliation.

Our union has chosen these topics for discussion within our submission as they broadly represent a significant percentage of the issues raised by our membership within the health service. It is essential we do all we can to ensure that healthcare workers feel valued for the important work they do looking after the sick and vulnerable in our society. We look forward to the engagement with members today and are happy to answer any questions.