AOTI Supports Members Engaging in Industrial Action
Following Fórsa’s recent announcement of planned industrial action in the HSE and Section 38 hospitals – in response to the HSE Pay and Numbers Strategy – the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI) calls on the HSE and the Minister for Health to stop this strategy and reverse the decision that any unfilled Occupational Therapy posts as of 31st December 2023 will be considered obsolete.
AOTI is deeply concerned about the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis in the Occupational Therapy profession, which we have highlighted in recent years. This situation, which was exacerbated by the 2023 recruitment embargo, has further deteriorated with the introduction of the HSE Pay and Numbers Strategy.
AOTI continues to call for the introduction of minimum safe staffing levels for Occupational Therapy services as current HSE staffing levels are unsafe and inadequate to meet the public’s need for these vital services.
A recent HSCP Alliance survey highlights some very concerning trends:
- 95% of health and social care professionals (HSCPs), which included Occupational Therapists, are experiencing high levels of stress and burnout related to staffing
- Two thirds of department managers report average staffing vacancy rates at 40%
- 86% of maternity and parental leave posts are unfilled
- Waiting times for first appointments average a year, with one site reporting 265 weeks
- Skilled staff are choosing to work abroad due to the lack of support and burnout
AOTI supports our members who are members of Fórsa in their forthcoming industrial action. AOTI stands with our members who are struggling in the face of severe staffing issues and the impact of this on those in need of Occupational Therapy, Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Services.
13th March 2025
