FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE WORKERS

Below is a letter from the Department of Health and the Department of Infrastructure

To Northern Ireland health and social care employers

DearColleagues

FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE WORKERS

The Department for Infrastructure and Translink are providing free useof their public transport networks for health and social care staff during theCovid-19 immediate response period.  This includes all Translink bus and railservices in Northern Ireland and the Strangford Ferry.

This applies to everyone who works in health and social care inNorthern Ireland – all jobs, all sectors.

Many staff, including those in the HSC, will have photographic staffpasses.  These should be shown to Translink staff at ticket desks or whenboarding.

For any staff who do not have photographic staff passes, employers areasked to provide a copy of this letter to those staff.  It would behelpful – but not essential if it will take up too much resource – for lettersto be signed by a manager, or stamped with the employer company stamp orseal.  Staff should then show the letter to Translink staff at ticketdesks or when boarding, together with any photo ID that they do have such asdriving licence, etc.

Translink will be flexible in the application of this policy butreserve the right to deny free boarding if staff are not satisfied that anindividual is a health and social care worker.

If you need any further information, please speak to your employer orto Translink staff.

Thank you for your service – and that of your staff colleagues – atthis very challenging time, and thanks from DoH to the Department forInfrastructure and Translink for providing this essential and valuable service.

Yours sincerely,

[signed by]                                                            [signed by]

RICHARD PENGELLY                         KATRINA GODFREY
PERMANENT SECRETARY                PERMANENT SECRETARY
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH              DEPARTMENT FOR INFRASTRUCTURE