Just half of staff in HSE ‘look forward’ to going to work as Army called on during strike

JUST half of HSE staff say they look forward to going to work – and only slightly more than six in 10 are happy with their job.

The insights into the biggest public service employer in the State, with 117,000 staff, have emerged in an unpublished MRBI poll.

The findings come after weeks of industrial relations turmoil that saw nearly 40,000 nurses on the picket line over pay and a walk-out by 500 paramedics yesterday in the row over union representation.

The poll shows that 55pc of staff say that they look forward to going to work, although 70pc are enthusiastic about their job.

It reveals how one in five has experienced discrimination at work in the last 12 months and 42pc have suffered bullying or harassment in the last two years.

More than one in three has been subjected to verbal or physical assault over the same period.

Some 77pc said they were motivated in their existing role, which is higher than the norm found in similar surveys of other workplaces.

Over half would recommend the organisation as an employer to a friend or family member.

Only one in two is optimistic about the future within the organisation, although 70pc said they intend to still be working in the HSE in two years’ time.

There is criticism of their bosses with only 51pc saying their line manager motivates them to perform at the higher levels.

Just one-third sees opportunities for career progression.

However, the report said that overall there is more job satisfaction than two years ago.

There is scope for improvement in regard to internal communications.

The HSE said an extra 119 nurses were taken on in December and their ranks overall increased by 1,042 over the course of 2018.

Meanwhile, the Army had to be called on several times yesterday to provide transport to patients after 500 paramedics who are members of the National Ambulance Service Representative Association (Nasra) staged a strike in pursuit of their demand for the HSE to recognise their union.

The ambulance service received 259 calls between 7am and noon with five of these responded to by Army paramedics.

The HSE has insisted that recognition of other associations or unions would undermine “the positive engagement that exists and would impair good industrial relations in the National Ambulance Service”.

However, there are two more days of action planned, which will fall on consecutive days – on Thursday, February 28 and Friday, March 1.

Nasra accused the HSE of intransigence and again called for talks on the issue.

Report says there is more job satisfaction than two years ago