Written Answers. - Conditions of Employment.
John Perry
Question:
97
Mr. Perry
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the family friendly hours for nurses in St. John's Hospital, Sligo has been cancelled; the discussions which have taken place to ensure that the flexible working arrangements are re-instated as it is putting staff under undue hardship and causing significant inconvenience; if he will immediately redress this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[12703/02]
Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin): St. John's Hospital, Sligo is part of the North-Western Health Board's community hospital services. The hospital is presently incurring high nurse overtime costs which are projected to significantly exceed budgets by year end. If the board does not address this cost over-run then patient services at the hospital or elsewhere within the board will have to be curtailed.
The cost over-run on nursing overtime is directly related to difficulties in securing temporary nursing staff to undertake locum cover work and failure to reach agreement on revised rostering arrangements proposed by management to restore previously agreed nurse/patient ratios. In the absence of available temporary nurses, locum work is covered at overtime rates by existing permanent staff.
Extensive discussions took place with the Irish Nurses Organisation to resolve the current staffing difficulties. Unfortunately, local discussions were unsuccessful in resolving the difficulties and the hospital sought the assistance of the Labour Relations Commission. A conciliation conference under the aegis of the Labour Relations Commission was held on 15 February 2002. The Irish Nurses Organisation position remained unchanged despite a number of alternative options being proposed by management. The Irish Nurses Organisation continued to threaten industrial action in response to the board's proposal.
All of the 95 whole time equivalents approved funded nursing posts at the hospital are now filled in a permanent capacity by nurses contracted to work 39 hours per week. Over a period of time up to 50% of these nurses have been facilitated with reduced working hours under either job sharing or flexible working schemes, approval of which schemes is discretionary to the board and is available subject to such flexible arrangements not impacting on the provision of services to patients.
Given the difficulties outlined, and the failure of local discussions to resolve the issues it has regrettably become necessary to temporarily curtail the availability of these discretionary schemes in nursing services at St. John's Hospital, Sligo.
The board as an employer supports family friendly policies and its track record is exemplary in that regard. Every effort will continue to be made by management locally to resolve these current difficulties including consideration of any individual circumstances arising.
The board has advised the Nursing Alliance that it is available for discussions to resolve current difficulties.
