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Dignity and Respect in the Workplace
The article published today on The Journal describing the experiences of two female paramedics within the National Ambulance Service (NAS) is disappointing and should be of concern to all of us.
We want to be absolutely clear: harassment, discrimination, or intimidation, including cyber bullying through social media, of any kind has no place in our Service. Every staff member, every supervisor and every manager deserve to work in a safe, respectful, and supportive environment.
Where concerns are raised, we take them very seriously. If you have experienced or witnessed inappropriate behaviour, whether to yourself or your colleagues, we strongly encourage you to speak up. You can do so through your line manager and their manager or if you do not get an effective response, to our HR team, or in confidence via the appropriate reporting channels (given in the link below).
Creating a culture of dignity, inclusion and accountability is everyone’s responsibility, i.e. every staff member, every supervisor and every manager —and we are committed to continuing the work required to ensure that standard is met.
To achieve this, each and everyone of us must call out bad behaviour, and do not accept inappropriate behaviour as banter. The most important intervention any of us can make to hold each other accountable for our behaviour and conduct towards each other.
We need to treat each other the way we would want our children, siblings or partners to be treated if they went to their place of work.
The HSE’ Values in Action https://healthservice.hse.ie/staff/benefits-and-services/values-in-action/ provide the blueprint for how each and every one of us should and must treat each other with respect.
The evidence is clear, staff who feel valued and respected deliver outstanding care to our patients. Patient feedback reflects this reality, and we know that our staff deliver outstanding care every day to the population of Ireland.
HSE Dignity at Work Policy
Protecting the safety of employees and service users is a priority concern for the HSE. The HSE Dignity at Work policy for the Public Health Service sets out how the HSE and other public health service organisations aim to create and maintain an environment where staff are treated with dignity and respect. It sets out informal and formal procedures to deal with complaints.
The policy aims to protect employees from bullying, harassment and sexual harassment by other employees and non-employees. The policy provides for all staff and line managers across the HSE to have access to dedicated and specific training, complainants to have access to support contact persons and independent screening of all complaints to ensure natural justice is afforded to both complainants and respondents.
Where an independent investigation establishes wrongdoing, the HSE takes such behaviour very seriously with sanctions up to and including dismissal from employment with the HSE. Staff members are also encouraged to contact the Gardaí in such instances.