The HSE (The Health Service Executive is the publicly funded, government healthcare system in Ireland) freezes recruitment due to 'inadequate' funding. The HSE said its current funding levels were "not sufficient to cover all current costs" and implemented an immediate recruitment freeze for a number of staff, including non-consultant hospital doctors and healthcare assistants.
The expanded freeze includes patient and client care roles including healthcare assistants, home help, non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) and general support positions. There will also be an emergency furlough(suspension or discharge of a worker) of additional agency staff above the level set Friday. Priority posts in these grades will be filled by internal redeployment in the short term. With few exceptions, all external or net growth hiring will be suspended until the end of the year.
Exemptions include the National Ambulance Service, nursing and midwifery, accredited consultant posts, GP-training posts, dentists and orthodontists for public service schools and emergency services, and “health and social care professionals”.
In the memo to senior management, except for approximately 2,000 specific positions under prior commitments estimated at 2000 WTE), there will be no further growth in the workforce in 2024.
"This means in principle that previously approved posts which cannot now be funded (about 7,000) will be removed from the profile and, if considered in the future, should be new approved developments."
The report says the freeze will apply to all HSE statutory services, voluntary hospitals and voluntary agencies with immediate effect. The INMO said it was shocked and appalled by the HSE plans. This will add to the chaos in a system where there are not enough doctors to provide safe patient care, many teams across the country are not fully staffed and NCHDs still operate during illegal and unsafe hours.
"It is surprising that this decision can be made at this time, and the announcement has been criticized as compromising patient care. The INMO said this would inevitably have a negative impact on patient care.
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