Mayo TD inundated over hospital staff contract delays
A Mayo TD has described being 'inundated' with emails from medical professionals impacted by staff contract delays at Mayo University Hospital.
Recruitment issues affecting student nurses and midwives has now stretched to other qualifications, according to Aontú TD Paul Lawless, who said that people who signed contracts to work in Mayo have had their commencement dates delayed or cancelled.
Speaking today, Deputy Lawless said: “This is a recruitment freeze in all but name. The crisis is getting worse rather than better.
“I’ve previously raised the situation facing recent nursing and midwifery graduates who were not offered contracts. The Minister for Health said she was concerned about what the HSE was doing.
“Over the weekend I’ve had multiple constituents contacting me with similar stories. Now it seems that it’s not just nurses and midwives who are impacted, but other workers too.
“I’ve been made aware of cases in Mayo University Hospital where contracts had actually been signed and commencement dates set, before they were ultimately reneged upon and placed 'on hold'. This is a very serious and concerning development.”
Deputy Lawless continued: “What has happened here is that the HSE has blown its budget repeatedly - particularly in the west. The minister has stepped in heavy handed and said the department will now be controlling recruitment or pay issues.
“The minister was correct to seek oversight of the budgetary problems, but her own department is now delaying the employment of badly needed staff in Mayo and across the west. This issue is now impacting the employment of occupational therapists in the west, and health assistants in MUH. All those contacting me are saying the delay is with the Department of Health approving their employment.
“On the other end of the system I’m being contacted by patients and families saying how understaffed our hospital is, in particular the Emergency Department. By all means there needs to be a tightening of spending, but the delay on the department’s part is totally unacceptable.
“Stopping the recruitment of front line workers, some of whom have left other employment because their contracts were signed by the HSE, is a recipe for disaster.
“It is in the minister and department’s power to fix this, and they must take action to clear the backlog.
“The problem with the HSE is spending at the top - those at the top should be held accountable, not the front line workers whose presence in our hospitals we rely on for a safe and effective environment.
“It has to be rectified and fast. I’ve today submitted a series of written questions to the minister seeking detail on the delay and the numbers who have had their recruitment / appointment paused pending Department of Health approval under the newly-introduced recruitment pay-bill requirements.”