A survey of SIPTU members in the National Ambulance Service has found 78% of respondents express a lack of confidence in the HSE’s ability to adequately address welfare and health and safety issues highlighted by staff within the organisation.
As part of a far-reaching survey of more than 850 members, the overwhelming majority of respondents indicated they did not have confidence that such issues would be dealt with by the HSE fairly and promptly. This confirms the position of SIPTU representatives who have argued, on occasion, that complaints can take an unreasonable amount of time to be dealt with, leaving members in limbo or continuing to face the problems raised.
SIPTU Ambulance Sector Organiser, John McCamley, said: “We call on the HSE and the National Ambulance Service to address the overwhelming feeling of our members that staff welfare and health and safety issues are not addressed fairly and properly. Our members want to provide a modern professional service to the public but need support and resources to do so.
“The results of SIPTU’s survey illustrate the mood within the National Ambulance Service, where morale seems to be at an all-time low, and our members feel their voices are being unheard by senior management of the HSE.
He added: “This is being compounded by management refusing to address pay and other issues, which has resulted in members balloting for industrial action, up to and including strike action.”