Sept 29, 2011

PSA Convenes Wellington and Kapiti Home Support Talks

The PSA today convened a meeting of providers of home support services in the Wellington and Kapiti regions to support continuity of service and job security for workers following the Capital and Coast District Health Board’s (CCDHB) termination of its community support contract with HealthcareNZ.

CCDHB was invited to attend the meeting but did not do so.

The attendees worked constructively on a plan that enables clients and staff to transfer to new service providers.

“It was very disappointing that the DHB pulled out of attending this meeting, when they should take some responsibility for ensuring a smooth transition,” says PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff.

“The DHB’s transfer of services occurs on 1 November 2011, leaving just one month to plan and implement a transition.

“The PSA is doing what we can to ensure our members maintain jobs and conditions of employment, all within a very compressed timeframe.

“The DHB should take a more active approach and provide a more realistic timeframe for this process to occur.

“Competitive tendering always places workers in jeopardy even when it is done well, rushing it with a hands off attitude is not good for workers or for those they support.

“The PSA will meet with providers again next week to reach an agreement that will enable an effective and fair transfer of staff.

“PSA members are very concerned that the funding cuts will translate into service cuts and job cuts.

“While the DHB continues to assert that no cuts in work or service will result, it would have been helpful if the DHB had turned up to provide clear assurances to all parties”

“In our experience the DHB can play an important and constructive role when services transfer between providers. CCDHB could learn from this,” says Richard Wagstaff.

ENDS

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