Health Service Executive Reaches Agreement on Weekend Rosters with Unions

The Health Service Executive has reached an agreement with health unions to introduce extended working hours in HSE and HSE funded agencies. The goal is to improve patient flow and discharge rates throughout the healthcare system over a seven-day week. This agreement involves rostering staff like consultants, social workers, and administrative personnel over seven days instead of five, aiming to address overcrowding and waiting lists in hospitals.

HSE Chief Executive Bernard Gloster expressed gratitude to the unions for their collaboration, emphasizing the focus on enhancing patient flow and expanding outpatient clinic hours. The agreement, initially reported by the Irish Independent, impacts health workers represented by the Fórsa trade union, with a process in place for potential changes in working hours and rostering arrangements.

For staff employed before December 16, 2008, changes are voluntary unless agreed upon. However, those employed after this date may be required to adjust their rosters. Disputes over extended services will follow a structured procedure, ensuring safe staffing levels are maintained.

Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill hailed the agreement as a significant shift in work practices, leading to improved patient care and operational efficiency in hospitals. She highlighted the importance of new patient safety standards to align with international norms, citing urgent concerns such as maternal deaths, hip surgeries, and sepsis cases in Emergency Departments.