A major new study on Ireland’s health and social care services has revealed a growing staff retention crisis, resulting in systemic understaffing, poor communications and low staff morale, with three-quarters of workers regularly considering leaving their role, and 67% of health workers now ‘actively’ considering leaving.
The research study ‘Morale Among Health and Social Care Workers’ which was conducted by think-tank TASC, on behalf of Fórsa’s Health and Welfare Division, describes a workforce dealing with low morale and working under extreme pressure across Ireland’s health and social care services.
The mixed-methods study, recently presented to Oireachtas members (including a briefing by TASC), was commissioned by Fórsa’s Health and Welfare Division, which represents more than 32,000 health and social care staff members, including clerical and administrative staff, health and social care professionals, in addition to pharmacy staff.
The TASC study was presented to members of the Oireachtas on 13 January. Pictured (l-r): Senator Laura Harmon, Fórsa member and health worker Mary Kearney (Fórsa Clare Health & Local Government Branch), Marie Sherlock TD, Linda Kelly, Fórsa National Secretary, and Ashley Connolly, Head of Fórsa’s Health & Welfare Division.
The research surveyed 3,775 members of the union, across the HSE, Tusla, Section 38 and voluntary organisations, in addition to nationwide focus groups. The research has identified chronic understaffing, ‘top-down’ decision-making, and a failure to meaningfully engage frontline workers as eroding health staff morale and undermining the delivery of essential services.
Fórsa has said the findings “paint a stark picture of a sector struggling to meet demand, while carrying the legacy of long-term underinvestment and recent policy decisions that have capped staffing and abolished vacant posts”.
LOW MORALE ERODES TEAMWORK
Head of Fórsa’s Health & Welfare Division, Ashley Connolly, said that low morale is now eroding teamwork, retention, and patient care, as envisioned by the Government’s Sláintecare programme.
This programme was designed to create a community-centred model of provision. However, she noted that the lived reality for the union’s health and welfare members is long waiting lists, reduced access to community services, and local networks closing or shrinking.
“Sláintecare was intended to deliver universal, community-based care, but staff do not believe the system is staffed or supported to achieve that. Their experience must be taken seriously by the Government and the Department of Health,” noted Ashley Connolly.
Fórsa’s National Secretary Linda Kelly said that morale is central to delivering real and sustainable healthcare reform, adding that if workers do not have the resources or support to maintain services, any efforts at reform are undermined.
“We need evidence-based staffing, fair pay, most especially in the voluntary sector, as well as enhanced retention strategies, and a stronger worker voice in policy decisions. Unless these root causes of demoralisation are addressed, the workforce crisis will threaten staff wellbeing and the future of Sláintecare itself,” she said.
