From Department of Health
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The Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has today welcomed the HSE’s offer of engagement with health sector representative bodies regarding a scheme for Paid Leave for Public Health Service Employees unfit for work post COVID-19 infection.
The Department of Health, Health Service Executive and Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have been engaged on proposals for a scheme for public health service employees.
Minister Donnelly said:
“The government recognises the role of our healthcare workers throughout the pandemic. They have gone beyond the call of duty, working in frontline COVID-19 clinically exposed environments, treating COVID-19 positive patients. Many of those frontline public health sector workers contracted COVID-19 and still remain suffering from long-COVID.”
The HSE are now engaging with health sector staff representative bodies in respect of the proposed scheme.
Minister Donnelly added:
"I want to ensure that eligible frontline healthcare workers, working through the most challenging phases of the pandemic, and who remain absent from the workplace on a long-term basis, are assisted and do not experience a cliff-edge in respect of the change to Special Leave With Pay. I hope the engagement with the representative bodies can be concluded quickly.”