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The Planning Committee of Belfast City Council are meeting on Tuesday 11 December 2018 to consider the planning application by Benmore Octopus Healthcare Developments for a Healthcare Facility at the Kings Hall Complex.
NIPSA is opposed to this development and has sought speaking rights. A lobby will be held from 4.15 pm on Tuesday 11 December 2018 at the back entrance to the City Hall. Please support this lobby and put pressure on the Planning Committee not to approve this planning application.
Alison Millar
General Secretary
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Belfast City Council has been urged to review a decision to sign off on the first phase of £100m healthcare facility. Both NIPSA and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) have said that the planned redevelopment of the Kings Hall site will cause further damage to the already struggling Health Service.
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Responding to the news that Belfast City Council has given the green light for first phase of £100m King's Hall healthcare facility plan, a NIPSA spokesperson has reacted strongly. Assistant Secretary Kevin McCabe said:
“NIPSA is extremely concerned that such a private healthcare facility is:
- A further erosion of the NHS principles of providing healthcare free at the point of use
- It will be predicated on the ability to pay therefore creating a two-tier system of health provision
- It will seek to promote profit by further reliance on the private sector to provide services that should be delivered by the NHS
- They will draw staffing resources away from an already understaffed HSC workforce in Northern Ireland
- This bad news for citizens and, future users of the NHS
- All healthcare unions must resist this further destruction of our much-loved NHS
- Any such new service delivery models must be fully scrutinised to ensure that tax evasion measures such as witnessed by Virgin Healthcare does not occur if this proposal goes ahead.”
Assistant Secretary Kevin McCabe also sent a letter to MP/MLAs pressing them on these two issues and asking for there support at Belfast City Council planning meeting on Tuesday 13th:
- The development of a Private Healthcare Village is a political issue and will be fundamentally opposed by NIPSA and the other health unions and staff side organisations.
The Bengoa Report and Delivering Together 10 Year Plan was adopted by the NI Executive and Assembly without public consultation.
Is this your vision?
Are you prepared to implement a two tier health system and further dismantle our much loved NHS?
If not – support us and stop these plans. - The building development is a planning issue but it is also a further attack on the delivery of NHS services and we ask you to publicly object and support our opposition.
From a planning perspective it will cause further traffic congestion and parking issues to an already horrendous situation in South Belfast in terms of amenities.
We implore both local MP’s/MLA’s directly affected by these proposals to declare their opposition.
Is this seriously what our MP’s and MLA’s are all about – Profit Before People?
Please support this petition and object next Tuesday at the Planning meeting scheduled at Belfast City Hall.
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Health administrators came under a full-frontal assault on Wednesday with two articles in the Belfast Telegraph.
One attack, led by the editor in the Belfast Telegraph opinion column, opined 'NHS is too top-heavy with administrators'.
NIPSA's immediate response is, if you get rid of administrators and clerical staff, who then would do this essential work?
If, for instance the editor found they were on a 'patient journey' who would then write the referral letters from the clinical diagnosis to senior health practitioners in the hospital. Is the editor suggesting the front-line medical staff break away from their duties of care to become, in the paper's demeaning view, 'pen-pushers'.
No suggestion was made in the warped editorial as to who would do this much-needed work.
The editor of the Belfast Telegraph has stooped to a new low in the distaste for NIPSA members, especially those employed in the NHS.
Our members serve the community they live in and they assist health care professionals they work alongside...and this type of alt-right thinking we find is truly sickening.
The opinion piece begins by saying: "Most people will be shocked to learn that around a fifth of the NHS workforce in NI is made up of administrative and clerical staff."
The editorial claimed that admin staff were responsible for the diverting 'badly-needed resources away from front line care'.
This warped assertion is something that NIPSA would vehemently deny and ridiculously the editor goes on to clearly state that the problem lies with funding the service.
The editorial reads: "The lack of funding is one of the reasons given for the shortage of nurses here and their professional body says those working in the local health service are paid less than their counter parts in other parts of the UK".
What's the Real Agenda?
The direct attack on our members, NIPSA asserts, has now become part of the 'alt-right agenda', which sees the NHS starved of resources and as it flounders blame the workers...hopefully leading to the break-up of the NHS which will lead to more outsourcing and privatisation of services to companies friendly to the Tory-DUP Government and the newspaper's owner and friends.
In direct contrast, the A&C staff received support on three fronts with the Permanent Health Secretary, Richard Pengelly, weighing in on the issue with comments supporting the work they do (https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/statement-department-healths-richard-pengelly-response-newspaper-article).
In short, he attacked the tone of articles when he said: "It is disappointing that a local newspaper has sought to demean health service administrative colleagues as 'pen pushers'. He went on to say: "Everyone who works in Health and Social Care plays an important role in the care we provide and should be valued for it. No organisation - in any sector - can function effectively without an efficient back office. Administrative and clerical staff cover vital areas and without them doctors and nurses would have a great deal less time for patients. The reality is that, in their absence, the health service could not function for a day."
Taking the Belfast Telegraph to task, he added: "Is the journalist really suggesting that we should pull highly trained clinicians away from a patient facing role and ask them to undertake such work? To put the issue into a context the newspaper might better understand - it's self -evident that many people other than journalists will be involved in bringing a daily newspaper to its readers. The list will include advertising staff, delivery drivers, printing and security workers. It will include - believe it or not - people who work behind desks. Are all these roles to be similarly demeaned? Nothing will be gained by denigrating any section of staff. My message to those colleagues affected by this is simple - on behalf of the community we serve, sincere thanks for the work you do every day. And I promise you that you are genuinely valued and appreciated by those who properly understand your important role," Mr Pengelly concluded.
NIPSA wishes to thank the Permanent Health Secretary for his much-needed interjection against the Belfast Telegraph attack.
The admin and clerical staff were further supported when Charlotte McAdam, Chief Nursing Officer NI with RN, said on Twitter: "Seriously! Admin and all other staff support clinical team deliver patient care. Who does @BelTel think arranges clinics, appointments, clinical notes, answers phones, orders stock, recruits staff, pays staff and more. HSC would collapse without ALL staff. Allows nurses to nurse".
NIC ICTU also laid into the Belfast Telegraph for its warped view when it tweeted about both articles: "The Editorial is worse: "the admin do divert badly-needed resources away from front-line care". Ignorance to the point of irresponsibility. Our #NHS can't attract medics/nurses because of pay caps/workload - and daft NHS-bashing like this. #StandupforPenPushers.
Strategic Workforce Planning
Even though NIPSA was not asked to participate in the initial news story, the union's response is:
1. NIPSA fundamentally would not accept that the A&C numbers of staff in the HSC (NI) are disproportionate or represents over bureaucracy.
2. Such assertions are over simplistic such staff are absolutely essential to maintain service delivery. It does not give the true picture and is somewhat unfair.
3. The shortages of clinical and nursing staff are well documented and have been highlighted previously by trade unions and staff side organisations.
4. As a result of the Bengoa Report and the Minister's 10 Year Vision of Working Well Together the Department of Heath has embarked on a Strategic Workforce Planning Directive aimed at addressing these problems. These are being taken forward through the Transformation Implementation Group (TIG) by way of a specific workstream.
5. Such claims fail to take account of:
(a) two major RPA exercises conducted in Health designed to make the Department, Trusts and Arms-Length Bodies more efficient and effective; and
(b) at times there is an over reliance and misuse of Agency staff within the system which skews the numbers
6. We have a situation where the Health and Social Care Board is to close but over a period of time further necessary work has been given to the Board by the Department which has seen an increase in numbers.
7. NIPSA along with other trade unions have argued that proper workforce planning is the answer putting the right people in the right place at the right time with the appropriate skill mix to ensure the appropriate service delivery model.
The Belfast Telegraph opinion piece https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/editors-viewpoint/editors-viewpoint-nhs-is-too-topheavy-with-administrators-37239607.html with the accompanying headline - Editor's Viewpoint: NHS is too top-heavy with administrators.
The news article https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/one-in-five-of-northern-irelands-health-service-staff-in-administration-or-clerical-posts-report-37239449.html, authored by Lisa Smyth, with the accompanying headline - One in five of Northern Ireland's health service staff in administration or clerical posts: report.
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NIPSA the largest public sector trade union in Northern Ireland is fully supportive of the NHS Rally on Saturday 30 June 2018 in Belfast. It is important that all trade union members, their family and friends join us on this celebration of the last 70 years of our Health Service and press for a fully funded Health Service for the next 70 years.
NIPSA General Secretary Alison Millar stated:
“It is important that all citizens join NIPSA and the wider trade union movement on Saturday 30 June to both celebrate the past 70 years of the NHS but also send a clear message to all political parties and UK Westminster Government that we must fight for the Health Service to be fully funded for the next 70 years. As everyone already knows our Health Service is in crisis, our health staff are at crisis point and with no Assembly or Health Minister it appears NI is paralysed. It is not acceptable that our politicians stand idly by and not address the real crisis. We need more funding, we need leadership and we need a properly funded and proper and meaningful pay increase for all Health Service Workers. “
Join us on Saturday, 30 June 2018 at 1.30pm Writers Square, Belfast for a march to the City Hall for 2.30pm to show you care for the future of Your Health Service.
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Branches will be aware from earlier circulars that the trade union movement is getting behind the celebration events to acknowledge the 70th anniversary of the NHS. NIPSA has produced a leaflet and poster which are being supplied to branches for distribution and display. These can also be accessed on www.nipsa.org.uk.
In celebrating its past we must also fight to protect the future of a properly funded, fully resourced, accessible public health service. Squandering millions of pounds on Agency workers resulting in the casualisation of work in the Health and Social Care sector in Northern Ireland must be brought to an end. Likewise the millions of pounds spent on private health care and private consultants when these funds should be directed to a health service for all not just those that have the wealth to afford it.
Branches are encouraged to leaflet in public areas in local towns and to galvanise support among members and the broader community, encouraging as many supporters as possible to attend the march and rally on Saturday 30 June. The parade assembles at Writer’s Square, Belfast at 1.30pm and marches to the Belfast City Hall for a rally at 2.30pm. NIPSA Headquarters staff will be contacting branches over the coming days to see what support branches and members can provide to ensure a massive turn out on 30 June.
Additional supplies of leaflets can be obtained by contacting Paul Hartin at NIPSA Headquarters on 028 9066 1831 or by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To facilitate members NIPSA has also arranged buses from Enniskillen/Omagh and Derry. The bus timetables can also be accessed on www.nipsa.org.uk
 Celebrate NHS A3 poster | [ ] | 143 kB |
| Celebrate NHS A5 leaflet | [ ] | 230 kB |
