Over fifty nursing positions are vacant in University Hospital Kerry according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
The union is calling for the HSE to immediately end the recruitment moratorium for frontline healthcare workers.
There are over fifty nursing vacancies, with over 8% of the nursing workforce in University Hospital Kerry unfilled because of maternity leave. There are long-standing agreements in place that maternity leave cover will be provided, but this Is not the case in University Hospital Kerry.
The ongoing recruitment freeze is eroding the safe staffing framework that is meant to be in place in University Hospital Kerry. Anecdotally we know that many nurses are indicating their intention to leave because of unsafe staffing. Without intervention from government and the HSE nationally, vacancies will continue to increase and without replacement lead to increased risk to patients and staff. The hospital is already experiencing significant overcrowding issues with over 1,282 patients placed on trolleys in the Emergency Department and on wards across the hospital so far this year.
The impact the recruitment embargo is having is not just confined to University Hospital Kerry, posts remain unfilled in primary care services and in care of the older person services such as West Kerry Community Hospital and Tralee Community Nursing Unit. Local management must be given sanction to fill these posts.
The recruitment freeze is having a detrimental impact on the mental and physical health of our members who are continuously in a position where they are forced to work short-staffed all while being expected to maintain current service levels. This is ultimately going to impact patient safety.
The HSE and government must do the right thing and end the needless recruitment moratorium on nursing staff.