€1,000 Covid payment to HSE staff in Mayo queried

QUERIES in relation to eligibility and payment of the €1,000 Covid pandemic payment to HSE staff in Mayo were raised by Councillor Michael Kilcoyne at the November meeting of Health Forum West.

He wanted to know how many agency staff employed in HSE facilities, staff of contractors - e.g. cleaning, catering, etc., who work in HSE facilities, and also staff in nursing homes in Mayo have not received the payment.

Tony Canavan, head of the Saolta hospital group, said eligible frontline health care workers were assessed based on the particular additional risks they faced in the performance of their duties during the pandemic. A HR circular stated that 'eligible employees must have been employed between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, and have been identified as working in Covid-19 exposed healthcare environments. For part-time employees, the payment will be pro-rated'.

“The guidance on who was eligible was set out in a separate FAQ and this is what MUH referred to when determining the payment of all such eligible staff. Any staff who were not deemed eligible have been guided towards the appeals process,” he explained. “This is a national process, independent of any hospital group, set up to manage such appeals.

“Non-HSE staff who carried out frontline roles will be assessed for this pandemic payment via a third party company. The contract for this work to pay eligible non-HSE/Section 38 employers, so that they can pass this on to their employees, was awarded last month.

“The company is now working with the HSE and Department of Health to identify those covered and will be providing guidance on the process to those employers.”

At the meeting, Mr. Canavan agreed with Councillor Kilcoyne that non-HSE contractors such as cleaners and canteen staff had not received the payment yet because the process through which non HSE staff get paid is slower than it is for HSE employees.

Commented Councillor Kilcoyne: “I don't mean to be critical of the government but the way this payment was announced, people thought it would be in their wages by the end of the week - yet still we are here a year on. They are great for announcing things but they don't tell half the story.

“It's part of the problem that we only get half the information. They also said everyone on social welfare is going to get the fuel allowance but that is not true. Even if you are on illness benefit for 20 years you still don't get it.

“Hopefully these people, through their unions, will be able to put the pressure on for these Covid payments because it is an issue out there for people.”