Labour Court recommends phased Central Mental Hospital roster changes

The Labour Court recommended a package of roster and staffing changes for the HSE (Central Mental Hospital) and the Services Industrial Professional Technical Union and PNA, including a formula for compensating any earnings loss. The recommendation, signed on 30 March 2012, says compensation should be 1.5 times the actual loss, calculated by comparing corresponding 12-month periods under the new and previous arrangements. It recommends paying the compensation in two instalments, but did not recommend the unions' request for half to be paid upfront. The Court also recommended a joint forum to oversee the Health Care Assistant grade's introduction, first in non-acute areas and then in acute areas, with the grade to be fully operational within six months of acceptance. It said the Superintendent Care Officer regrading claim could not be conceded at that time under the Public Service Agreement, despite identifying reasons for a job evaluation. The package was recommended to take effect from 1 April 2012.