INMO members are holding a protest at lunchtime today (Wednesday) at University Hospital Galway, alongside colleagues in Fórsa and SIPTU trade unions, to protest the implementation of the HSE’s recent Pay and Numbers Strategy.
The protest, beginning at 1pm, is the latest in a month-long campaign by the unions to bring an end to the recruitment caps introduced in the strategy, and to reverse the decision to suppress all posts that were vacant as of 31st December 2023.
The INMO states this strategy has removed vital posts across the health service, and prevents healthcare facilities from recruiting staff to fill posts that have become vacant this year.
INMO Industrial Relations Officer for the region, Anne Burke said:
Current HSE policy is undermining nurses' and midwives’ ability to provide safe patient care. Staff in Galway and across the country have been struggling to make up for chronic staffing shortfalls for too long, and this strategy just represents a step backwards.
There are currently 303 nursing and midwifery vacant posts in University Hospital Galway, and over 2,000 nursing and midwifery posts in Ireland have been effectively abolished due to the HSE’s recruitment restrictions. This cannot be tolerated.
These recruitment restrictions impact negatively in all areas such as community, older persons services, ID services and acute hospitals.
Our members’ safety at work and their ability to work and provide safe, appropriate and timely care, will not be possible while unsafe staffing prevails.