We wanted to take a moment to update you on negotiations around the payment of the healthcare worker pandemic recognition payment that was announced by Government on 19^th January this year.

  

In recent weeks, the IMO and the other health service trade unions have been in discussions with the HSE and the Department of Health on the application of this payment to our healthcare workers, who played such a key role in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, no agreement has been reached between unions and the management side. In particular, disagreement exists over the scope of eligibility for the payment.

 

In terms of our own membership, the proposals from the Department and the HSE would exclude Doctors who entered the health service after 30^th June 2021, the biggest group of whom are the 2021 Interns. We cannot accept such an exclusion and have pushed instead for the use of 28^th February 2022 and the removal of remaining restrictions as the cut off point, should a cut off point be deemed necessary.

 

As things stand, with this exclusion and some others in place, while the HSE may choose to issue the circular, we will continue to pursue what we see as a legitimate claim on behalf of our members.