The HSE is denying that any staff at Letterkenny General Hospital have been told their jobs are to go.
Earier today, a number of staff members on temporary contracts contacted Highland Radio to say they had been told their jobs would go at the end of this month.
However, in a statement this afternoon, the HSE says staff have been briefed in relation to the overall budgetary situation and to what is being proposed to address the deficit. However, nothing is agreed ahead of discussions between Hospital Management and union representatives on Thursday morning.
The HSE says no temporary contracts have been terminated, but the staff on temporary contracts have been informed that a reduction in their working hours is a possibility if proposals put forward are accepted.
However, unions have already indicated they will not accept widespread cuts. Richie Carruthers of IMPACT says if necessary, they will ballot on industrial action, warning that cutting the hours of temporary contract staff will not be accepted…..
The HSE statement reads in full –
Letterkenny General Hospital is projecting a budget overspend by year end and measures are being considered that will bridge the gap. The Hospital is obliged to live within its allocated budget and at this stage it is not likely that all the savings can be made from non-pay areas. Therefore costs associated with staff pay also needs to be considered.
Staff have been briefed in relation to the overall budgetary situation and to what is being proposed to address the deficit, but nothing is agreed as yet. Hospital Management plans to meet union representatives on Thursday morning.
No temporary contracts have been terminated, but the staff on temporary contracts have been informed that a reduction in their working hours is a possibility if proposals put forward are accepted. While a reduction in some services within the Hospital is inevitable, we are endeavouring to keep them to a minimum and to ensure that the impact on service users will be kept to a minimum.
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