Management at Galway’s public hospitals assured patients that appointments and procedures would resume as quickly as possible this week in the wake of the nationwide disruption to services caused by the industrial action taken by medical scientists on Tuesday. They carry out critical diagnostic testing of patient samples.
The work stoppage, over what their union, the Medical Laboratory Scientists’ Association (MLSA ) terms longstanding pay and career development issues, was due to take place yesterday (Wednesday ) also. However, this was suspended following an invitation to all negotiating parties to attend the Labour Court.
Most medical scientists work in laboratories in public hospitals and the industrial action by the union members meant that routine laboratory services were withdrawn which affected hospitals and GP practices.
A spokesperson for the MLSA said it had made every effort to avoid disruption to patients and healthcare workers but had been left with no alternative. The union wants to resolve pressing issues such as unfilled posts, pay parity, career development, and increasing work demands.
“The action follows many rounds of unsuccessful talks with the HSE, the Department of Health, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Public Service Agreement Group. In a ballot of MLSA members last November, 98 per cent voted in favour of taking the action.”
The union said there was “huge frustration” and “burn-out” among medical scientists because of a “severe recruitment and retention problem” which it claimed has been ignored by employers for many years.
“We need to achieve a sustainable work structure for the profession and this will benefit patients and the quality and efficiency of health services they receive.”
The union said the unresolved issues affecting the medical scientists include:
• Up to 20 per cent of approved medical scientist posts are unfilled in hospitals
• Medical scientists carry out identical work to other colleagues in hospital laboratories, yet are paid on average eight per cent less
• Medical scientists have fewer career development opportunities and less support for training and education than comparable colleagues
• The role for laboratory diagnostics is currently expanding with increasing responsibility and workloads.
A spokesperson for the Saolta University Health Care Group, which runs the public hospitals in the west and north-west of the country, said the hospitals endeavoured to resume appointments and procedures as quickly as possible yesterday (Wednesday ).
“Inevitably there will still be some cancellation of inpatient and day surgery and outpatient appointments across hospitals. Hospitals will contact patients directly to advise them on any updates or changes to arrangements.”
The spokesperson said that routine GP testing and testing services for hospitalised patients resumed on Wednesday.
“The HSE would like to acknowledge the ongoing co-operation of our staff and patients at this time.
