SIPTU representatives have confirmed that an agreement has been reached with the Health Service Executive (HSE) on the voluntary redeployment of health workers to private nursing homes to assist in their efforts to defeat the Covid-19 virus.
SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, said: “Our members want to help deal with the increasing clusters of the virus among the most vulnerable service users in the nursing home sector in their catchment area. However, until now, there was no policy or protocol for members asked to provide assistance to private nursing homes which are not under the governance of the HSE.
“Under this agreement, the redeployment of SIPTU members is strictly on a voluntary basis and a volunteers register will be set up in each CHO area. Volunteers will come from across the nursing, health care assistant, cleaning, chef and catering assistant disciplines. Our members will remain completely under the management of the HSE and will be assigned for agreed periods of time. They will also be provided with an adequate supply of PPE for their tasks.”
He added: “This development arises because of challenges that have emerged in some private nursing homes in relation to staffing and their ability to manage the Covid-19 crisis. We will engage with the HSE and Department of Health for a critical review and analysis of this work when the crisis abates.”
