Caredoc warns that out-of-hours GP services will close today for 24-hour strike across clinics in six counties as further disruption likely
It said out of hours GP services and Caredoc treatment centres will not operate in Carlow, Kilkenny, south Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and south Wicklow. Services in the northwest are not impacted by the industrial action.
In a public information notice this morning, it urged people to call the 999 ambulance service in the event of an emergency.
The notice said those with urgent medical needs should attend their local hospital’s emergency department or contact their GP surgery for advice.
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Today’s News in 90 Seconds – Thursday, December 18.
“Caredoc GP out of hours services will resume as normal at 6pm on Friday 19 December,” it said.
“However further service interruptions are likely over the Christmas period – specifically Tuesday 23 December, Saturday 27 December, Monday 29 December, Tuesday 30 December and Friday 2 January. Please check our website for regular updates”.
Caredoc apologised to the public for the “inconvenience and disruption caused by this action which is outside the control of Caredoc”.
A one day strike by INMO and Siptu members in a dispute over pay began at clinics at 8am today.
It is understood that strikes are also planned on December 23 and 27, as well as a 48 hour stoppage from December 29 and a one day strike on January 2.
Talks between Caredoc management and HSE officials chaired by barrister Hugh Mohan are taking place today in Dublin in a bid to halt the industrial action and resolve the dispute.
An INMO spokesperson said the unions are not involved in the discussions.
INMO industrial relations officer Gráinne Walsh said industrial action being taken by the union and Siptu will cause disruption at one of the busiest times for out-of-hours services.
She said it will also have a knock on impact on other out-of-hours services in the northeast.
The unions represent over 200 workers at Caredoc including nurses, drivers and receptionists.
The INMO and Siptu said in statement that there has been no meaningful engagement with the healthcare company to avert the work stoppage in a dispute over pay.
Pickets will take place in Carlow, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny and Tipperary.
The stoppages comes as GP surgeries are already struggling due to a surge in flu cases while patients will rely heavily on out of hour services during the Christmas season.
HSE funding to CareDoc has not been paid to employees so industrial action will go ahead this week, next week and over the Christmas period, according to the unions.
Pickets will take place in the following locations tomorrow:
– St. Dympna’s Hospital, Athy Road, Carlow
– HSE Community Care, Cork Road, Waterford
– Primary Care Centre, Grogan’s Road, Townparks, Wexford
– Ayrfield Medical Centre, Granges Road, Ayrfield, Kilkenny
– The County Clinic, Western Road, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
The unions say they want a Workplace Relations Commission pay agreement for so called state-funded “section 39” organisations paid to CareDoc members.
This would mean they would get an 8pc pay rise.
Unions claim the HSE has provided €647,834 to Caredoc for the purpose of paying the increase.
“It is clear that CareDoc have no solution or alternative plan to avert the action,” said Ms Walsh.
“Their hands-off attitude to paying staff what they are owed is now back-firing. It is clear from their public commentary that they seem to be philosophically opposed to using their profits to pay their staff a fair wage.”
She said the workers have no desire to withdraw their services in the middle of winter, but all other avenues have been exhausted.
“We are willing to meet with management and to consider an interim proposal that delivers the funds already provided, along with an agreed mechanism to resolve the outstanding matters,” she said. “However, Caredoc must demonstrate a genuine willingness to engage.”
Siptu health division industrial organiser, Ger McNally, said the unions have been left with no alternative but to engage in the proposed industrial action.
Caredoc called on the unions to suspend industrial action “on humanitarian grounds” yesterday.
In an updated statement today, it said it supports its workforce and is seeking pay parity for its employees going back to 2021.
A Caredoc spokesperson said it is unable to pay the 8pc pay rise being sought by unions.
He said the HSE has not provided funding to pay the increase.
“There is currently a €3.2m gap in funding required,” he said.
“Monies previously offered to Caredoc by the HSE were returned to them as it amounted to a partial payment for just one service in one area (the southeast out of hours GP service) and would not have met pay requirements across the organisation as a whole, and were considered derisory.”
He said Caredoc is re-entering mediation discussions with the HSE this morning to try and address the shortfall.
“We are hopeful a resolution can be reached which will see a full restoration of pay in line with HSE pay scales, which were unilaterally severed in 2021,” he said.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson said strike action will halt the operation of the Caredoc out-of-hours GP services in the southeast, south Wicklow from tonight to tomorrow and subsequent strike dates.
He said Caredoc services in the northwest are unaffected by the action so far.
“As there will be no emergency cover provided, we will be unable to take calls, provide nurse triage, or offer any support for GP’s on duty such as receptionists, drivers or clinical nurses,” he said.
“This will have a profoundly negative impact on patient waiting times and patient care, and increase pressure on hospital emergency departments and the national ambulance services at the busiest time of the year and as flu season peaks over Christmas. “
He said Caredoc is engaging with the public on alternative arrangements available to them during the strike period.
“We apologise sincerely in advance to patients and their families in the south east and northwest for the disruption and inconvenience caused by such strike action,” he said.
