Call for Gov’t to restore basic salary of healthcare workers with long Covid
Social Democrats councillor Liam Quaide has criticised the termination of a pay scheme for healthcare workers with severe long Covid as ‘shocking’ by the Irish Government.
The temporary payments scheme intended to support staff members with long Covid was introduced in July 22 and it ensured that the health care workers still enduring symptoms of the virus would be paid their regular salary.
The scheme came to an end at midnight on Sunday, March 31 and the ending of the pay scheme now means that the workers concerned will be paid under their contractual sick pay rules, an arrangement which has a limited time span.
Cllr Quaide who has worked with many patients with long Covid in his role as a clinical psychologist said healthcare staff risked everything during the pandemic. “Perhaps the greatest injustice of the Covid pandemic, aside from those who lost their lives, involves the plight of healthcare workers who contracted the virus in the course of their duties, and who later developed severe long Covid. Healthcare staff risked everything and some paid an enormous price. By healthcare staff I include, not just clinicians but catering and cleaning and other staff in healthcare settings,” he said.
“While some people with long Covid experience an easing of symptoms over time, for others a severe form of the condition can become entrenched,” said Cllr Quaide. “The long-term prognosis for this cohort is unclear. Their symptoms may include debilitating fatigue after modest levels of activity, joint and nerve pains, vertigo, shortness of breath, chronic sleep disturbance and cognitive difficulties. Some can struggle with basic activities of daily living. There are very limited medical treatments available to alleviate these symptoms and no clear rehabilitation programme.
“Many of these healthcare workers have been unable to resume employment since they originally contracted Covid. These healthcare staff were being paid their basic salary by the HSE in recognition of the fact that they contracted Covid in the workplace and remained unable to work due to the severity of their symptoms. Over the last two years they have been in a very distressing limbo, waiting for the latest union negotiation to provide some certainty regarding their financial security,” he added.
Mr Quaide said the decision by the government to suspend the special Covid leave with pay scheme for the healthcare workers was a ‘crude’ decision. “The termination of a pay scheme for healthcare workers with severe long Covid by the government is a shocking way to treat people who were characterised as heroes during the pandemic. The applause that healthcare workers received from Oireachtas members in March 2020 rings hollow for many now. This crude decision will mean that many healthcare workers will soon be forced to retire on medical grounds. It will impose major financial hardship on them and put them into mortgage distress.”
Cllr Quaide reiterated his call for the Irish Government to immediately restore the basic salary of all the healthcare workers affected until an occupational injury scheme can be agreed. “They should be provided with pay security by the state into the future to remove financial stress from the many other major challenges they face. The government should immediately restore their basic salary until an occupational injury scheme has been agreed. I would also call on Bernard Gloster (CEO of HSE) to intervene given his duty-of-care towards these workers as their most senior manager.”