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| New health plans may discriminate says Margaret Ritchie | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Plans to redeploy health administration staff may discriminate against women, according to the South Down MP. | Plans to redeploy health administration staff may discriminate against women, according to the South Down MP. |
| Margaret Ritchie has called for the Equality Commission to assess if the plans are justified. | Margaret Ritchie has called for the Equality Commission to assess if the plans are justified. |
| Last year it was announced that four centres of expertise are to be created which could mean some workers having to commute an extra 100 miles. | Last year it was announced that four centres of expertise are to be created which could mean some workers having to commute an extra 100 miles. |
| In Downpatrick, that will mean around 35 finance workers, who are mostly women, relocating to Ballymena. | In Downpatrick, that will mean around 35 finance workers, who are mostly women, relocating to Ballymena. |
| Currently each of the five health trusts has its own administration department which includes payroll and human resources. | Currently each of the five health trusts has its own administration department which includes payroll and human resources. |
| But the Department of Health now wants to centralise the services, creating four centres of expertise instead. | But the Department of Health now wants to centralise the services, creating four centres of expertise instead. |
| Despite announcing a three-month consultation period on the proposed changes, the Department of Health advertised the jobs in the new centres. | Despite announcing a three-month consultation period on the proposed changes, the Department of Health advertised the jobs in the new centres. |
| Following complaints that the consultation was still ongoing the job advertisements were withdrawn. | Following complaints that the consultation was still ongoing the job advertisements were withdrawn. |
| Ms Ritchie said the Equality Commission must look into the plan. | Ms Ritchie said the Equality Commission must look into the plan. |
| "For example, if you take Downpatrick, 35 staff are being asked to move from an area where they have excelled to Ballymena, some distance from their homes and work locations. | "For example, if you take Downpatrick, 35 staff are being asked to move from an area where they have excelled to Ballymena, some distance from their homes and work locations. |
| "It's totally inequitable, totally unfair and inappropriate." | "It's totally inequitable, totally unfair and inappropriate." |
| In response, the Department of Health issued a statement which said that the job advertisements were unrelated to the redeployment proposals. | |
| "The Minister hopes shortly to announce his decision on the model and location of shared services, having reflected on the views expressed in the consultation," it said. | |
| "In order to avoid needless anxiety the Business Services Organisation (BSO) has now suspended this recruitment until a decision has been taken on shared services." |