Member Update on HSE Recruitment

We are happy to inform members of significant progress AOTI has achieved

In 2019, following repeated expressions of dissatisfaction by AOTI members with the HSE panel system of recruitment, AOTI issued a statement calling on the HSE to overhaul the panel system as it was not fit for purpose. AOTI then engaged with members and the HSE to respond to members’ concerns. 1,010 members participated in the AOTI Survey on Experience of HSE Panel System of Recruitment in June 2020 and we presented the findings to the HSE when we met with Anne Marie Hoey, National Director of HR, and Eithne Fox, Head of HBS Human Resources, in July 2020.

Following this meeting we issued an update to members where we reported that the HSE listened to your concerns and heard our call for reform of the panel system. We also informed members that the HSE was intending to develop a new model of recruitment in line with the roll-out of Sláintecare and committed to continued engagement with AOTI on this. The HSE also committed to taking the AOTI survey findings into consideration in the development of the new recruitment model. Since that time AOTI has continued to advocate on behalf of our members for a more candidate-friendly and service-friendly model of recruitment that leads to the right person with the right skills being appointed.

AOTI is happy to inform members of some significant progress which we have achieved through our sustained advocacy efforts and engagement on your behalf in the last 18 months. Eithne Fox has confirmed in writing to AOTI that under the new HSE model of recruitment being developed, the national panel system will no longer be used for the recruitment of promotional grades, i.e. senior and clinical specialist occupational therapist posts. Recruitment campaigns for these grades will instead be done at a local/CHO level. We welcome this is very significant progress that will benefit many of our members and will continue to engage with the NRS to represent the needs of the Occupational Therapy profession within the new model of recruitment.

Even though the new model is still being finalised, CHO areas 1, 5, 6, 7 and 9 as well as most HSE Hospital Groups have already transitioned to local level competitions for promotional grades. As the HSE will need to recruit additional senior occupational therapists to fill vacancies in all CHO areas this year, AOTI understands that it is the HSE’s intention to run an interim senior competition for the remaining CHO areas that do not yet have the available HR capacity to operate local campaigns.

It is AOTI’s understanding that the HSE intends to continue with the use of national panel competitions for staff grade occupational therapists. While this is regrettable, we are in continued discussions with the National Recruitment Service and will continue to advocate for our members to achieve complete abolition of the national panel system of recruitment for all grades.

Odhrán Allen

Chief Strategy Officer