Members of staff at Mayo General Hospital were informed on Tuesday last that 150 temporary workers are to lose their jobs from September 1 next. Devastated employees are now set to be forced on to the dole queues while services at the hospital are sure to come under considerable strain.
Staff were not informed as to who exactly was being let go in the massive job cuts, which made for a very anxious time for all temporary workers at the hospital this week - the temporary workers are entitled to two weeks’ notice.
“We knew it was coming but just didn’t expect it so soon. The worst thing is not knowing who is losing their jobs yet. It’s devastating,” one hospital worker told the Mayo Advertiser this week.
“From what I understand it will be between 150 to 200 jobs that will go,” Independent Castlebar based Cllr Michael Kilcoyne told the Mayo Advertiser. “This proposal will see the terminating of all temporary contracts of staff working there, even those who have been there long term on temporary contracts.”
Cllr Kilcoyne added he has been led to believe there will be another downgrading of services in the hospital as part of the cuts. “I’ve been led to believe that some of the lab testing that is being carried out in Castlebar will be transferred to Galway, while there is some talk of Mayo General becoming an orthopaedic centre in the future, but unless you break a bone it won’t be much good to you as a hospital,” he said. “We have seen services eroded and downgraded in Mayo General year by year and it’s not good enough. Apart from the cuts to the services of the people of Mayo we will be putting another 150 to 200 people on the dole.”
Fine Gael’s Deputy John O’Mahony has this week called on Health Minster Harney and the HSE to clarify once and for all the long term status of Mayo General Hospital and all of its services. “With reports from the Health Information Quality Authority and Mott McDonald suggesting savage cuts and the centralisation of health services it is now vital that there is clarity and assurances given to the people of Mayo on the long term future of Mayo General Hospital,” he said. “This guarantee was not forthcoming when I questioned HSE officials at a recent meeting with members of the Oireachtas. The hundreds of caring and professional staff in Mayo General Hospital who have provided a wonderful service over the years also deserve clarity on the issue. With the loss of our cancer services some time ago due to Government policy, I am calling on out Government Oireachtas members in the county to stand up for the people of Mayo on this occasion.”
A response from the HSE to the Mayo Advertiser on the jobs cut announcement to staff stated, “No temporary staff are being laid off at Mayo General Hospital at present. We are proceeding on the basis of the outcome of the Labour Relations Committee meeting on Friday last and will be meeting the Union representatives locally on Tuesday next, August 24.”
The outcome of the most recent meeting of the LRC with HSE West and staff representatives to resolve issues in relation to HSE West break-even plans ended with a framework being agreed to allow for local negotiations over two weeks with the assistance of the LRC.
Working through the LRC, it was agreed by both sides that local consultations would take place in each of the HSE West areas (Galway, Mayo, Roscommon, Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, and Mid-West ) a consultation process that is set to go on until August 31.
In summary it was agreed that all options to reduce expenditure would be further jointly explored, including non-pay savings; reduced hours, careers breaks, unpaid leave, flexibility in the reallocation of staff; and phasing out expenditure on agency staff where possible.
“Every effort is being made to minimise the impact on services and employment. The parties look forward to continuing productive engagement in the weeks to come,” the HSE West statement concluded.
