Social workers at South Eastern Health Trust begin three-day strike

Social workers in family and childcare services at the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust are staging a three-day strike to protest staff shortages and work-related stress.

Industrial action by members of the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (Nipsa) union begins on Wednesday.

The union said the action was necessary to protect the “health and well-being” of social workers who provide family and child care services.

He added that minimum coverage plans were in place, but the Department of Health said it was “very concerned” about the impact of the strike on children, families and staff.

The department said it recognised the “sustained pressures social workers face” and said steps were being taken to ensure their workloads were manageable.

The strike is timed to coincide with the general election, as union members believe attention has been diverted from the health care crisis during the election period.

Nipsa members from across the group will be picketing hospitals including Newtownards, Lagan Valley in Lisburn and Downshire in Downpatrick.

They will also demonstrate outside the Secretary of State’s office on Friday.

Speaking at a picket line at Lagan Valley Hospital in Lisburn, social worker Eimear Lavery said the workers’ situation was “never-ending”.

“There are not enough staff in children’s services – we have one social worker doing the work of three people – it’s unfair – we have to do something about it.

“We feel like we have to do this. We’ve reached a point where we have no other choice. We’re facing a lack of funding and a lack of care from those in power,” she added.

In Downpatrick, social workers are on the picket line outside the Downshire district.

Michelle has been a social worker for 17 years and said staff shortages are leading to longer waiting lists for services.

“There are not enough social workers to cover the workload. Children and families are having to wait longer for service.

“It’s a fundamental problem, they are not sufficiently trained. There are not enough places available in colleges, regional universities.”

Chloe Shields has been working in social work for three years, she says the work is tough.

“I think it’s harder to retain staff. Children’s services is a very hard job and a lot of people leave to go into other fields, so it’s hard to retain staff.

“It’s been a whirlwind, so you really have to love your job to stay in it. And you have to be passionate about the work you do.”

Nipsa claims to have organised the strike because many employees are leaving the profession under stress.

He also said there were not enough new social workers entering the system to meet demand.

Roisin McConnell has been a frontline social worker within the trust’s family team for 12 years.

“There have been a lot of shortages within teams, which has led to most staff working well beyond their contracted hours – we are often there 12 hours a day,” she said.

“Staff are then forced to take sick leave because they are so exhausted, which leads to even greater staff shortages… it’s a vicious cycle.”

She added: “Work-related stress is a significant factor in the social work profession.”

Ms. McConnell’s passion for social work is in her blood as she has a daughter who is also a social worker at the same facility.

“For me, the strike is an opportunity to reflect on our own children and grandchildren who want to pursue the profession of social worker.

“I want better service not only for them but also for the clients we work with,” she said.

Debbie Barlow, secretary of the Nipsa branch of the South Eastern Trust, has also worked in residential childcare.

“We simply had to take a stand for the safety of staff and campaign for them because this is no longer acceptable,” she said.

“Our teams are working so hard to ensure the families and children they work with on the front lines are prioritised that staff may not even be taking their breaks.

“They are exhausted, anxious and stressed.”

Ms Barlow explained that minimum service coverage plans are in place for the next three days to reduce the impact on service users.

“At no point do we want to put anyone in danger,” she said.

“Protection plans are in place to ensure that a limited number of staff will be working within the service.”

She said Nipsa wants the health ministry to “sit down and come up with a plan to protect the well-being of staff”.

“We also need more social workers to be brought into the system – 380 students go through universities each year and this year 40 more places have been added.

“However, this is still not enough to cover this issue for the whole of Northern Ireland,” Ms Barlow concluded.

In a statement, the ministry and the Department of Health said they and the agencies were undertaking a series of “short- and long-term measures to ensure social care workers have safe and manageable workloads.”

He said this includes “a workforce and service reform agenda.”

The department added that the number of students able to study social work each year is determined by the funding available.

He explained that in recent years 260 social work training places had been created at Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster Magee University in Londonderry.

The department has also established 25 additional social work training places through the Open University (OU), he said.

She added that the 40 additional social work training places ordered to start in 2024/25 “will, over time, help to alleviate some of the pressures on the workforce”.

Professor Ray Jones was appointed in 2022 by former Health Minister Robin Swann to carry out the review, prompted by concerns about high vacancies and the fact that many children and families were not getting the help they needed.

His report found that more than 4,000 children were waiting for assessment and support from social services in Northern Ireland at the time.