Cardiac surgeries cancelled due to strike action

Cardiac surgeries have been cancelled in five major Irish hospitals today as 25 perfusionists, members of the Fórsa trade union, commenced a 24-hour strike. Perfusionists are crucial cardiovascular specialists responsible for managing heart-lung machines during surgery.

The Fórsa union accuses the Health Service Executive (HSE) of unilaterally severing a long-standing pay linkage between perfusionists and medical scientists. The union further stated that the HSE has refused to implement a Labour Court recommendation issued in January to restore this pay link. The strike has led to the cancellation of 14 cardiac surgeries, including two pediatric cases.

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That should be really regrettable for senior leaders in the HSE, that rather than implement a Labour Court recommendation, they have forced 25 of their staff, which is the entire cohort of perfusionists in the country, to take industrial action.

Linda Kelly, Fórsa National Secretary, expressed regret that senior HSE leaders forced staff to take industrial action rather than implementing the Labour Court's recommendation. She noted that restoring the pay link would cost approximately €233,000 annually, a sum that could potentially be offset by savings from reduced locum costs, which have reportedly increased due to the current pay disparity between public and private perfusionists.

If the dispute remains unresolved, the union has warned of escalating action, with a potential 48-hour strike scheduled for June 16 and 17. The hospitals affected are the Mater Hospital, St James's Hospital, Children’s Health Ireland Crumlin, University Hospital Galway, and Cork University Hospital. A HSE spokesperson confirmed that elective cardiac procedures have been deferred and will be rescheduled, with all affected patients contacted. Derogations are in place to manage emergencies, in agreement with Fórsa, and the HSE remains committed to engaging with the union to avoid further industrial action.

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We've also been able to successfully demonstrate to the HSE that much of that could be garnered from savings from locum costs, which have increased since this dispute has occurred, because of the now two-tier pay scale that's in situ between public and private perfusionists.