The development of an Occupational Health Strategy has its origins in the PCW negotiations in the mid 1990s. A two year pilot programme for put in place and reviewed by a Steering Committee. The Steering Committee which was made up of representatives from my Department, school management bodies and teacher unions, decided that the pilot would not continue and a fundamental review was undertaken. Exploratory talks, involving representatives of Teacher Unions and School Management Groups, on the development of an Occupational Health Strategy for teachers followed. It was accepted by all that the aims of an Occupational Health Strategy would be to promote the health and Well-being of teachers at work with a focus primarily on prevention rather than cure.
Having examined different approaches to delivering such a service it was concluded that the best method would be to invite tenders from private companies who would have the capability to provide a nationwide service. The first stage in the development of the Overall Occupational Health Strategy for teachers was put in place following an EU competitive tendering process at the start of the 2006/2007 school year. VHI Corporate Solutions was contracted to provide the Employee Assistance Service (EAS) for Teachers. The service incorporates confidential counselling on issues such as health, relationships, bereavement, stress, conflict, critical incident and trauma. The second stage of the Occupational Health Strategy for teachers encompasses health management and has taken over from the Chief Medical Officer of the Civil Service who provided a limited service to the Department in respect of teachers concentrating largely on ill health retirement assessments. The Occupational Health Service incorporates pre-employment health assessments, sickness absence management referrals, medical assessments of fitness for work and ill health retirement assessments and appeals.
My Department sought proposals on the open market for the provision of the service to teachers and following an EU competitive tendering process, Medmark Occupational Healthcare, was chosen and has been contracted to provide this service since 2008. The introduction of this new service did not require any legislative change. The estimated annual cost of providing the Occupational Health Strategy is €2m. The agreed regulations and procedures regarding the sick leave scheme for registered teachers in recognised primary and post-primary schools are set out in my Department circular number 0099/2008, a copy of which I will arrange to have forwarded to the Deputy together with a list of companies who tendered for the provision of the Occupational Health Service.
