Emergency department overcrowding
We have written to the HSE today calling for an emergency meeting of the ED task force to deal with increased overcrowding in acute hospitals. We have raised the issue as an urgent health and safety issue on behalf of our members, highlighting the severe pressure already experienced during the pandemic and the extreme risks of overcrowding while COVID remains an issue. Members can find a copy of our letter issued to the HSE. We have also written to the WRC seeking the convening of the WRC process that oversees the existing ED agreements, and a meeting of the INMO ED section will take place next Wednesday 23rd of June to establish the health and safety measures needed to protect members and patients in EDs. We will keep members informed of our progress on this issue.
Parental leave
Unions have secured an agreement with the HSE for the restoration of parental leave for those who had no alternative but to take leave to care for children. This is in addition to the restoration of annual leave from the 13th March 2020 to 26th May 2020 covered under a WRC agreement and outlined in CERS memo 51/202. A new circular states that the HSE approve the extension of this reinstatement to include parental leave. As with annual leave, the parental leave reinstatement will apply where leave was taken as a direct consequence of Public Health advice regarding the closure of schools, pre-schools, crèches, and other childcare facilities, and where all other alternative options were explored and found to be unsuitable by the manager and /or the employee. It is expected that local management will proactively address these matters expeditiously and judiciously at the local level. In exceptional cases which cannot be resolved locally, a joint Management/Union dispute resolution group will examine any issues arising.
Vaccination Webinar
INMO members attended a presentation by HSE Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Colm Henry on Thursday 10th June. Dr. Henry commended the work of the HCWs who administered the vaccine in the early stages of the rollout, often in high-risk environments, to provide immunity to vulnerable groups, and noted that uptake of the vaccine among healthcare workers in Ireland has exceeded expectations.
Key points of the presentation include:
- The impact of vaccine uptake on infection rates among HCWs has been very significant with cases down to single digits, and 0 outbreaks in acute hospitals in the preceding week.
- Efficacy: PCR testing among healthcare workers in the UK shows high rates of immunity and resistance to reinfection from highly transmissible variants.
- UK studies show a single dose of AstraZeneca can reduce the risk of hospitalisation by 94% 28-34 days after the first dose, or 60% in over 70s (increasing to 73% after day 35). Vaccination of healthcare workers is also proven to substantially reduce household transmission.
- Vaccine-induced Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia (TTS): incidence remains extremely rare, and risks of Covid-19 still far outweigh the risks of TTS from vaccines.
- NIAC continues to recommend that those who have received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine proceed with the second dose when it is offered.
PPG for student nurses and midwives
As a result of the Collins report, student nurses and midwives were due to receive a Pandemic Placement Grant (PPG) by the 1st of June 2021. This payment has been delayed in many areas due to the cyberattack, and in some instances, it has only been partially paid. We have written to the Department of Health today to request the payment be made in full as a matter of urgency as it is unacceptable that students should have to wait with no clear date to receive the monies owed to them. We will keep members advised of our progress.
Mica protest
A number of INMO members have let us know that they are affected by the use of Mica in homes in Donegal, Mayo, and Clare. At the INMO’s urging, ICTU general secretary Patricia King has written to Minister for Housing, Local Government, and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD, calling for urgent government action and the covering of all costs incurred by those affected in a fair and transparent manner.
INMO COVID-19 survey:
Our follow-up survey on the psychological impact of COVID-19 on nurses and midwives is still open. The information we gather from the survey will be used to inform the INMO strategy for supporting and representing nurses and midwives. The overall results will be published as a contribution to the professions' understanding of COVID-19 and its impact on nurses and midwives.
Survey on vaccination training for healthcare professionals
The EU-funded IMMUNION project is conducting a survey on vaccination training in order to develop an online Coalition for Vaccination platform for healthcare professionals that brings together useful information and educational materials on vaccination. The IMMUNION project is coordinated by EuroHealthNet. The survey is related to a work package led by the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) in cooperation with the European Federation of Nurses Associations (EFN), the European Midwives Association (EMA), and the Pharmaceutical Group of the EU (PGEU). The survey is available until 4 July 2021