07 September 2012
Attention All INMO Members
Re: PHN Sponsorship Training
Dear Colleague,
I refer to correspondence that has issued to successful candidates for the PHN course in relation to changes to the sponsorship programme for this year. The INMO has objected to this change on the basis that we have a national agreement and we are seeking a meeting to ensure that the national agreement is upheld. The national agreement confirmed that employment was secured on acceptance onto the programme of education.
The HSE have not agreed to meet with us as yet; however, we would continue to seek this meeting and pursue the breach of the national agreement to the institutions of the state if necessary.
In the meantime we have secured agreement from the HSE that all successful candidates who have been offered places for the 2012 course, if currently employed by the HSE, will return to their place of employment following completion of the course, i.e. that they will not have to resign their post prior to taking up the course. The HSE have further instructed that any of the successful candidates who are currently employed in non HSE areas such as the Dublin Academic Teaching Hospitals, should not have to resign their posts in order to avail of the course, but they should be afforded special leave of absence to undertake the course with the right to return to their post following the programme, if a PHN position is not available to them.
Below this notice you will find the email of instruction that went from the HSE Head of Corporate Employee Relations to Mr Patrick Glackin of the Nursing Services Directorate which was copied to the undersigned.
The INMO now advises that successful candidates should immediately reference this correspondence to their employers when seeking special leave. In the meantime the places that have been offered with a deadline of Sunday 09 September 2012 should be accepted, but the leave of absence should be secured prior to commencement on the course which commences on Monday 08 October 2012. The email which is attached to this notice should be presented to your employer as evidence that this is the instruction from the HSE and if you have any further difficulties, the INMO will represent you in respect of this matter. Please contact your INMO Industrial Relations Officer if such an issue arises.
Thanking you for your attention to this notice.
Is mise,
PHI Ni SHEAGHDHA
Director of Industrial Relations
Email: to Patrick Glackin, Nursing Service Directorate, HSE.
From: Brian Kirwan, Head of Corporate Employee Relations
6th September 2012
Patrick
An issue has arisen as a result of the decision not to offer permanent posts to applicants following completion of the PHN Course. While those staff in the HSE will return to their place of employment the staff coming from the DATHS hospitals are required to tender their resignation. Can you please contact the DON’s in the DATHS and inform them that the staff concerned should be given special leave of absence to undertake the course and that they will have a right of return following the programme.
Your assistance is much appreciated.
Regards
Brian
Brian Kirwan, Head of Corporate Employee Relations,
Corporate Employee Relations Services
63-64 Adelaide Road
Dublin 2
Sent On Behalf Of Phil Ni Sheaghdha, Director Of Industrial Relations, INMO on 05.09.12
To:
Mr Brian Kirwan,
Head of Corporate Employee Relations
Corporate employee Relations Services
HR Directorate, HSE
63-64 Adelaide Road
Dublin 2
Dear Mr. Kirwan,
I refer to correspondence from Mr. Liam Doran to you regarding the above named programme.
I now formally request that the closing date for acceptance of offer, issued to candidates interviewed for this programme, be extended. It is due to close at 12.00 midnight tonight and we have not had an opportunity to have any discussion with the HSE in respect of this matter to date.
As you are aware, there is a National Agreement outlining the circumstances of this programme which has now been unilaterally altered by the HSE.
We consider this a matter warranting a meeting with the parties to this agreement and, until those discussions have concluded directly or with the assistance of a third party, the closing date cannot prevent this from occurring.
I would be grateful therefore, if you could organise to have all of the candidates who have been made offers, made aware, that the closing date has now been extended to allow for these discussions to take place.
Thanking you for your urgent attention to this matter.
Is Mise,
Mary Cradden,
For and on behalf of Phil Ni Sheaghdha.
05.09.12