From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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The Minister of State for Disability, Anne Rabbitte, welcomes specific derogations for categories of staff employed across HSE and Section 38 disability services under the HSE recruitment pause.
Since assuming responsibility for disability services in March of this year, the department has committed to investing in the sector and improving outcomes for service users; through the expansion, enhancement and reform of services, including the creation of additional disability service posts and recruitment to these positions.
Both Minister Rabbitte and the department have engaged consistently with the HSE since the announcement of the pause, to ensure disability services are not unduly effected. The HSE confirmed the existence of an exemption for Health and Social Care posts, and prioritisation and redeployment from within existing resources. The HSE has now agreed to additional derogations in respect of specific categories of staff within disability services, to further protect these essential services.
A new memo has issued from the HSE to Chief Officers in each Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) today in this regard, which will be circulated onward to Section 38 organisations. These measures allow for essential staff across a number of grades to be replaced on “a one for one” basis, to protect services to clients and ensure safe staffing levels.
Welcoming the latest announcement, Minister Rabbitte said:
“I am delighted to confirm additional measures have been agreed with the HSE to allow filling of essential positions across specific categories of staff within disability services.
“Senior managers within the HSE have also committed to assisting service providers with interpretation and application of the pause, and I understand that some organisations are already engaging directly with HSE in this regard.
“Recruitment into Disability Services is a priority for me and I need to ensure a full cohort of staff is available for children, adults and families in accessing services and supports they’re seeking. This derogation is key to that at present and I appreciate the HSE finding a solution for the sector.
“My department will continue to engage with the HSE to ensure these essential services are protected throughout the application of the HSE pause.”
The pause, announced by the HSE Chief Executive Officer through a memo dated 4 October 2023, introduced recruitment restrictions on Management and Admin grades across the healthcare sector. A subsequent memo on 13 October, extended the pause beyond this category of staff to include Patient and Client Care and General Support categories, and introduced the immediate cessation of additional agency staffing beyond existing levels.
Measures will encompass residential, respite, personal assistance, day services and Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs), and be limited to the following roles:
1. Medical staff (grades 1012 and 1538)
2. Domestic staff (grade 4110)
3. Drivers (grade 4737)
4. Service Coordinators and Area managers (grades 6006, 6024,6006)
5. Family support workers (grade 6416)
6. Day service supervisors (grades 6402,6425)
7. Care Assistants (grade 6482)
8. Social Care Workers
9. Personal Assistants
The pause does not apply to the services delivered through Section 39 organisations and agency staffing levels will be maintained as per the levels in place on 13 October, thus reducing the potential impact on essential disability services.