“In our day-to-day jobs, we are often so busy dealing with urgent problems that we don’t have time to look at major issues facing our unions, or how we can use new tools to respond to the challenges we face. The Leadership Development School provides people with the opportunity to explore important issues facing our movement and people across Canada and around the world” ― Bert Blundon, NUPGE President COVID-19 Leadership Development School
Covid-19 vaccination role finally extended to new groups of health professionals
Reporter:
24 May 2021
A workman puts the finishing touches to a vaccination pod at the new look Longford vaccination centre in Newtownforbes );
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The green light for radiographers and student health workers to take up vaccination roles has been given the green light.
SIPTU representatives have today, Monday, May 24 welcomed confirmation from the Department of Health that radiographers, radiation therapists and other certain student health workers can apply to be vaccinators as part of the National Covid-19 vaccination programme.
Kevin Figgis is the trade union s Health Division Organiser.
“For months, intensive efforts were made by SIPTU representatives to ensure our members who are qualified were afforded the opportunity to participate in the Covid-19 vaccination programme. The original statutory instrument provided for nursing, medical practitioners and some other health profession
Trade unions have said the prospect of a disorderly collapse of one of the countryâs main disability and mental health service providers would be âdevastatingâ and that the Government needs to review the entire funding model for the sector.
The Irish Times reported on Monday that St John of God Community Services had warned the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly that it could face liquidation or having to sell assets or properties to pay off debts.
It maintained that such developments could have implications for up to 8,000 children, adolescents and adults who relied on it.
Siptu health divisional organiser Kevin Figgis said âa disorderly collapse can be, and must be, avoided at all costs through dialogue and with concentrated minds on all sidesâ.
She said deliveries of the vaccine in February are expected to be âat the lower end of what we anticipated, and there will be a further significant impact in Marchâ.
She confirmed vaccination of the over-70s would start next month with those aged 85 and older getting the jab first, then those aged 80 to 84, aged 75 to 79 and 70 to 74.
She said this would be administered by GPs in their surgeries. She said the HSE âis preparing a public information campaign and will ensure everyone knows in advance when, where and how to access their vaccineâ.
Independent Senator Rónán Mullen expressed concern that elderly members of religious orders living in congregated settings that were not regulated by Hiqa, would âfall between the cracksâ and fall down the priority list for vaccination.
SIPTU says HSE plan to pause vaccinations for healthcare workers is a cause for major concern Published: Monday, 25 January 2021 07:28
The HSE s plan to pause vaccinations for healthcare workers is a cause for major concern.
That s according to Kevin Figgis of SIPTU, who says this planned pause until early February could not come at worse time for health workers.
He has highlighted the heightened anxiety and frustration felt by their members about alleged deviations from the HSE sequencing programme.
20,000 healthcare workers contracted the virus since the start of the pandemic, with 6,834 infected over the last two weeks, an increase of over 50% in infection rates since Christmas.