Agenda item

            The Committee was reminded that, at its meeting on 2nd December, it had passed the following motion on Support for Health and Social Care Workers which had been proposed by Councillor McAteer and seconded by Councillor Groves:

“This Council supports the overwhelming result of the Royal College of Nurses’ ballot in favour of industrial action, supports the industrial action already being undertaken by UNISON and the decision of the other Health and Social Care (HSC) Trade Union, NIPSA, to ballot members on industrial action.

Health and social care workers are the system’s greatest assets and are entitled to fair pay and conditions, safe staffing levels and parity of pay with NHS colleagues.

Health and social care workers are taking action as they are no longer willing to see patients being denied the care to which they are entitled. There are currently over 7,000 non-medical vacancies, including 3,000 nursing posts, within the HSC system in the north of Ireland. These frontline vacancies are having a detrimental impact upon patient care and staffing, compromise the safety of staff and patients alike, contribute to long waiting lists and add enormous pressure to the existing HSC workforce, who are doing everything they can to care for patients.

This Council calls upon the Permanent Secretary, Department of Health, to engage respectfully and meaningfully with Trades Union representatives on a pay deal. It calls also upon the Permanent Secretary, alongside his colleagues in the Department of Finance and the Head of the Civil Service, to secure the fu0nding that is needed to achieve pay parity for health workers.

Furthermore, the Council agrees to convene an all-Party meeting with those Trades Unions representing health and social care staff to hear directly the challenges which they are facing and to take such action thereon to support staff and patient care at this time.”

            It was reported that responses had since been received from Ms. S. Gray, Permanent Secretary, Department of Finance, and Mr. R. Pengelly, Permanent Secretary, Department of Health.  A response had yet to be received from the Head of the Civil Service. It was pointed out that the responses had been written prior to the recent restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the ensuing discussions between the Health Minister and Health Unions.

            In her response, Ms. Gray had pointed out that Health and Social Care staff were central to the delivery of a vital public service and that she understood the deep sense of frustration felt by them at this time.  She concluded by highlighting the challenging budgetary position being faced currently across the public sector by stressing her commitment to working with colleagues in the Department of Health and with the Head of the Civil Service and other parties to find a way forward. 

            Mr. Pengelly had referred to the work which the Department of Health had undertaken to date, in partnership with trade unions, to progress pay discussions and highlighted the significant constraints in terms of affordability and the inability in the absence of Ministers to achieve pay parity with other regions.  He had explained that the decision to depart from pay parity had been taken at Ministerial level and it would be the responsibility of any incoming Minister to restore parity.  He provided details of the Department of Health’s latest financial offer, affirmed its commitment to securing a resolution and stresses that continued industrial action could only exacerbate an already difficult situation.  He concluded by confirming that the Health and Social Care Trust have developed contingency plans, with a view to minimising disruption for the wider public, and that they would work with unions at a local level to protect vital services.

            The Committee noted the responses.