Latest news with #LindaKelly
Irish Times
15-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Staff shortages and public perception leading to healthcare worker burnout, Fórsa research suggests
Ongoing staff shortages and a sense that the public negatively view the quality of service they provide is severely impacting staff morale in public health, a survey organised by trade union Fórsa suggests. Tasc , which carried out the research on behalf of the union, found a belief there was a 'disconnect' between management and staff, limited career development opportunities and a feeling their contribution was not appreciated among the other factors feeding into high levels of dissatisfaction. The survey, which was based on responses of almost 3,800 health workers, found more than two thirds of the respondents (68 per cent) believed staff morale was either low (43 per cent) or terrible (25 per cent). More than half (53 per cent) said morale was negatively impacting the quality of care being provided to patients and just over two thirds said the situation was contributing to them suffering from work-related stress. READ MORE Almost half (48 per cent) said the situation had worsened over the past two years despite what the HSE and Department of Health say have been substantial increases in healthcare budgets and staff numbers. Staff shortages persist in a wide range of health service areas, said senior Fórsa official Linda Kelly, and they 'have really increased the pressure on health and social care staff, and that has placed a heavy toll on staff morale'. 'Unfortunately, the research confirms what our members have been talking about over the last couple years with increasing frequency,' she said. 'Diminishing morale among existing staff is leading to burnout, and we can see this especially among those with longer service and experience. 'When experienced staff retire, or leave employment for other reasons, it represents a very significant loss of skills, an increase in workload for remaining staff, which further diminishes morale, and the cycle then continues. That's not sustainable,' she said. The research was presented to delegates at the Fórsa health sector conference in Letterkenny on Thursday. Ms Kelly told those attending the event the results should serve as 'a very loud alarm' for both the health service CEOs and the Minister for Health'.
Irish Independent
01-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Fórsa members in health service back deal to halt industrial action over staffing row
Fórsa members voted to approve proposals to resolve the dispute over the HSE's Pay and Numbers strategy. It comes after members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation accepted the proposals. The proposals to end the dispute that involved more than 80,000 health services workers were brokered at Workplace Relations Commission talks. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Fórsa, Connect, Unite, and the Medical Laboratory Scientists Association agreed to suspend a work-to-rule action that was due to begin on March 31. Fórsa said the proposals address the 'non-filing and delayed filling of vacant and suppressed health posts'. It said the Pay and Numbers strategy imposed a fixed employment ceiling across all health services. Ashley Connolly, the union's head of Health and Welfare, said it has called on the HSE to ensure the terms of the WRC agreement are fully implemented. 'This ballot result should mark a reset of how the parties engage - in line with the spirit of the agreement - to ensure we do not find ourselves back in dispute again,' she said. Linda Kelly, Fórsa national secretary, said the agreement will be subject to a review in six months' time. 'Until then we will be closely monitoring its progress, and we will be seeking full adherence to the commitments set out in the WRC proposals,' she said. INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said members of the union had accepted proposals regarding the non-filling and delayed filling of vacant and suppressed posts in the public health service. ADVERTISEMENT 'These proposals should pave the way for accelerating the filling of vacancies, stronger engagement between unions and the HSE, timely replacement of maternity leave, regularisation of agency posts and permanent posts for graduates,' she said. She said there is a strong onus on the HSE to adhere to the agreement. 'Now that this ballot has been accepted by our members, we will immediately write to the HSE to begin the implementation of the measures included in the agreement,' she said. A spokesperson for the HSE previously said the threatened industrial action would be a breach of industrial peace provisions in the public service pay agreement. Official data showed there have been hikes of between 30pc and 40pc in workforce numbers at most hospitals and across all categories of staff over the last five years.
RTÉ News
01-05-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Fórsa members back agreement on health staffing
Fórsa members working in HSE and Section 38 hospitals have voted to accept proposals aimed at resolving a dispute over staffing numbers. Yesterday, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) announced that its members have also backed the deal. In March, healthcare unions called off planned industrial action after agreement was reached with HSE management at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). Under the deal, maternity leave cover in the health service will be prioritised, there will be greater consultation with unions on future staffing decisions and an increase in the conversion of agency posts to HSE jobs. Employment ceilings set under the HSE's Pay and Numbers Strategy would remain in place but the agreement will prioritise promotion opportunities for existing staff within the health service. "This agreement will be subject to a review in six months' time," said Linda Kelly, Fórsa national secretary. "Until then we will be closely monitoring its progress, and we will be seeking full adherence to the commitments set out in the WRC proposals," she said.
BBC News
20-02-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Sun comes out in Dublin after 11 days of cloud
The sun has reappeared in Dublin after a record-equalling 11 days of the first time in more than half a century that there has been no sun in the Irish capital for this length of time."I looked at the blue sky this morning and felt such a lift," Isabel Ryan told BBC News NI as she enjoyed a walk in the sun with friends along Sandymount Éireann, the Irish meteorological service, has confirmed that its observation station at Dublin Airport recorded zero sunshine between 8 and 18 February. It means that this month's dull spell has now equalled a record dating back to March 1969, almost 56 years ago, when Dublin Airport recorded 11 consecutive days without sunshine. 'Glorious sunshine' When the sun eventually reappeared in in the skies above the Irish capital city this morning, many locals headed for the said: "It's just stunning.""I was delighted that we were all meeting for a walk. Yesterday I'd have thought 'maybe not' but today is amazing."Her friend, Linda Kelly, said people were getting fed up with this month's dull period."Not a glimmer of blue sky," she today, she was feeling relief as the sun appeared during the early part of the day."It's shining on the water here in Sandymount and it's just glorious. The lighthouse in the distance, it's just beautiful."Another friend, Deirdre Clerkin, added: "We are out today and the sun is amazing and I'm so happy because it just puts a smile on your face." Met Éireann explained that Ireland normally gets between 1,100 and 1,600 hours of sunshine each Irish meteorological service told BBC News NI that the sunniest months are May and June when sunshine duration averages between five and 6.5 hours per day over most of the country. The extreme southeast gets most sunshine, averaging over seven hours a day in early is the dullest month, with an average daily sunshine ranging from about one hour in the north to almost two hours in the extreme the year, most areas get an average of between 3.25 and 3.75 hours of sunshine each country's longest recorded stretch of consecutive days without sunshine since 1941 is 16 has occurred twice, once at Belmullet, County Mayo, between 1 and 16 September 1956 and, more recently, at Cork Airport between 23 December 2018 and 7 January 2019.
