HSE may focus on rostering staff on Saturdays initially as part of new reforms
HSE
management to introduce new patterns of working over an extended day and week.
The HSE has also indicated in a position paper given to trade unions that it may look for personnel to opt for weekend working on a voluntary basis.
However, it said if there were insufficient volunteers, 'a rota of eligible staff will be drawn up by local management to resource the required extended hours of service'.
The HSE maintained that all staff employed or promoted on or after December 16th, 2008 would be contractually obliged to be rostered for weekend working.
READ MORE
It said personnel employed or promoted before December 16th, 2008 and not subsequently promoted 'will be requested to work an extended day/week on a voluntary basis'.
In one of the biggest policy changes in the health system in years, the HSE wants up to 10 per cent of the workforce to be available for rostered weekend work.
HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster said in April that the organisation wanted to begin rostering more staff to work over weekends from the end of June.
In a position paper on the plan sent to trade unions in recent days, the HSE said 'the overarching aim of this extended hours of patient/client service initiative is to facilitate a smoother patient flow and access in all aspects of the healthcare system over a full seven-day week'.
It said the Government had committed to:
• Continuing the transition to regular hospital care being available to patients seven days a week
• Ensuring greater access to diagnostics in the evenings and weekends
• Ensuring even more routine healthcare services are available in the evenings and weekends
• Ensuring more senior staff are rostered in emergency departments during weekends and public holidays
• Standardising the opening hours of injury units to ensure a consistent seven-day service from 8am to 8pm and open at least an additional 12 such facilities
• Ensuring greater use of diagnostic equipment and operating theatres at evenings and weekends.
The HSE set out principles to guide staff engagement for this first phase of this initiative.
It said staff who had previously worked on a Monday to Friday 9-5 basis were 'being requested to deliver a different working pattern over a six- or seven-day week, to meet the requirements for services over an extended day/week'.
'The initial priority focus may be for example on extending service provisions for Saturday/five over six (day) working. However, the same principles will apply depending on the proposed plan for the extension of services outside current working patterns for staff: For example: to five/seven up to and including evenings and extended days/shift patterns. '
The HSE said delivery of extended hours of service would vary from site to site 'as it is dependent on the level of service need, the delivery approach and existing work patterns/arrangements'.
'To deliver quick and effective response over extended hours, staff will be requested, in the first instance, to participate in rostered extended hours of service delivery. It is noted that the flexibility associated with extended work patterns will suit many staff from a personal work-life balance perspective.'
'In the event that not enough staff volunteer, a rota of eligible staff will be drawn up by local management to resource the required extended hours of service. '
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Do Not Swim notices issued for two popular Wexford beaches due to high levels of bacteria
The latest sampling conducted as part of the Council's normal monitoring of bathing water quality, showed elevated levels of bacteria at the beach. Following consultation with the HSE, it is necessary to issue 'Do not swim' warning notices at the above beaches in accordance with the Bathing Water Quality Regulations 2008 and in the interest of public health. Further samples have been taken, and results are expected on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at which stage the bathing prohibition notices will be reviewed. In addition, the Council's Environmental Technical Team are investigating the matter. The Do Not Swim notices have been posted at Rosslare Strand and Ballyhealy beaches. Bathing water quality results for 19 Wexford beaches sampled over the 2025 to date bathing season, have been mainly excellent as published on the EPA operated website Wexford County Council advises members of the public visiting the above beach to 'please abide by the public notices advising against swimming.' Further updates will be issued through the media and via the Council's website and more information on bathing water quality can be obtained on
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Data watchdog opens ‘inquiry' into CHI Tallaght over safety of children's records
The Data Protection Commission has opened an 'inquiry' into Children's Health Ireland (CHI) Tallaght relating to the physical safety and security of children's health records. Last month The Irish Times reported that the watchdog had conducted an unannounced inspection of a shared office for nonconsultant hospital doctors on the first floor of the hospital on July 16th. It is understood the door to the shared office, containing hundreds of patient charts, was propped open – making it accessible to people walking by. When closed properly, the door is locked with a keypad. In a statement on Thursday, the watchdog said it became aware there were 'potential issues' at the site from a number of different sources, including protected disclosures and a breach notification submitted to it by CHI. READ MORE 'This formal inquiry will examine CHI's compliance with their GDPR obligations, in particular relating to the security of personal data and the processes that CHI have in place for managing physical records at CHI (Tallaght),' the statement said. On the day after the unannounced inspection, Dr Turlough Bolger, a consultant in emergency medicine, sent an email to staff at the hospital highlighting concerns expressed by the commission. 'The report will be received in the coming weeks but they expressed concern regarding the number of charts in the room yesterday (about 320 charts) and the amount of loose pages with patient details,' his email states. 'I expect that the recommendations will be wide-ranging and damaging to CHI at Tallaght.' Dr Bolger said he appreciated the 'hard work' made by staff to reduce the number of outstanding discharge charts in recent weeks, which had seen a 'significant reduction' from 900 to 600 charts. 'I have said repeatedly that there needs to be a sustainable approach to this issue. Ultimately, as the accountable officer in CHI at Tallaght, I am responsible for the overall situation regarding medical records.' Dr Bolger said, as the accountable officer, he 'cannot rely on blitzes to clear backlogs as routine'. In order to clear the current backlog, Dr Bolger said he had requested that four nonconsultant hospital doctors be allocated to discharges daily. He added that there needed to be 'an emphasis on the use of the confidential shredding bin for most of the loose pages'. A spokeswoman for CHI said 'immediate measures' were taken after the unannounced inspection to reduce potential risks, 'including reinforcing physical safeguards and engaging directly with staff'. 'Additional actions will follow, as appropriate, in line with our internal procedures and any recommendations issued by the DPC as part of its broader oversight,' she said. The spokeswoman added that CHI was transitioning to a 'fully digital health records system and, once complete, this will significantly reduce reliance on paper charts'.
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
DPC opens ‘inquiry' into CHI over safety of children's records at Tallaght hospital
The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has opened an 'inquiry' into Children's Health Ireland (CHI) relating to the physical safety and security of children's health records at its Tallaght hospital. Last month, The Irish Times reported the watchdog conducted an unannounced inspection of a shared office for non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) on the first floor of the hospital on July 16th. It is understood the door to the shared office, containing hundreds of patient charts, was propped open – making it accessible to people walking by. When closed properly, the door is locked with a keypad. In a statement on Thursday, the DPC said it became aware there were 'potential issues' at the site from a number of different sources, includingprotected disclosures and a breach notification submitted to the DPC by CHI. READ MORE 'This formal inquiry will examine CHI's compliance with their GDPR obligations, in particular relating to the security of personal data and the processes that CHI have in place for managing physical records at CHI (Tallaght),' the statement said. On the day after the unannounced inspection, Dr Turlough Bolger, a consultant in emergency medicine, sent an email to staff at the hospital highlighting concerns expressed by the commission. 'The report will be received in the coming weeks but they expressed concern regarding the number of charts in the room yesterday (approx 320 charts) and the amount of loose pages with patient details,' his email states. 'I expect that the recommendations will be wide-ranging and damaging to CHI at Tallaght.' Dr Bolger said he appreciates the 'hard work' made by staff to reduce the number of outstanding discharge charts in recent weeks, which has seen a 'significant reduction' from 900 to 600 charts. 'I have said repeatedly that there needs to be a sustainable approach to this issue. Ultimately, as the accountable officer in CHI at Tallaght, I am responsible for the overall situation regarding medical records.' Dr Bolger said as the accountable officer, he 'cannot rely on blitzes to clear backlogs as routine'. In order to clear the current backlog, Dr Bolger said he had requested that four NCHDs be allocated to discharges daily. He added that there was a need for 'an emphasis on the use of the confidential shredding bin for most of the loose pages'. A spokeswoman for CHI said 'immediate measures' were taken after the unannounced inspection to reduce potential risks, 'including reinforcing physical safeguards and engaging directly with staff'. 'Additional actions will follow, as appropriate, in line with our internal procedures and any recommendations issued by the DPC as part of its broader oversight,' she said. The spokeswoman added that CHI is transitioning to a 'fully digital health records system and, once complete, this will significantly reduce reliance on paper charts'.
