The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has highlighted key issues for nurses and midwives that it believes should be prioritised by general election candidates.
It is clear after this election that we need a reset in how we approach the staffing of our public health service. Blunt instruments such as prolonged recruitment embargoes are not the answer to the HSE’s perennial financial woes. Nurses and midwives are constantly being asked to do more with less and are increasingly concerned that their employer puts safety and risk secondary to balancing the books.
Nurses and midwives are safety-critical professionals and restricting and delaying recruitment processes increases risk for patients and compromises the provision of safe care.
Our members are rightly concerned about the future of the Irish health service. They want to be assured that sufficient numbers of nurses and midwives are being trained here in Ireland to keep pace with a growing and ageing population and that they are incentivised to stay in Ireland following their graduation. Creating the right conditions in our workplaces, along with providing affordable housing near healthcare settings, would greatly help retain young Irish nurses and midwives.
On doorsteps across the country, thousands of nurses and midwives will welcome discussion and expect clear answers and plans from those canvassing their vote.
In the almost five years since the last election, a global pandemic, 457,836 people on trolleys, and crisis after crisis in the HSE have exposed the frailties in our most important services. Politicians must show they have the answers to widespread workforce shortages and increased strain on our health services.