The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has said that it has no choice but to consult with its members resulting from persistent hospital overcrowding which is not being taken seriously as a workers’ health issue by the HSE.
The INMO have described the lack of action from the HSE as "inexcusable."
It comes just a week after the organisation announced that the amount of people on trolleys was hitting winter figures.
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha commented on the situation:
“For there to be 457 patients without a bed on a single day in the middle of June is not something we should accept as a given. The response thus far from the Health Services Executive, the Health and Safety Authority has been extremely lacking. The INMO has requested that the Emergency Department Taskforce meet as a matter of urgency three times and the response from the HSE has been inadequate. The fact that this important body has not convened in a time period where we have seen over 3566 patients on trolleys and a 76% increase in COVID hospitalisations since the 4th of June is completely inexcusable."
“Our nurses are at the end of our tether, and they cannot provide the clinical care that is required. They are burnt out both physically and mentally and cannot continue at this pace. The slow reaction and at times hands-off approach from their employer will drive many nurses out of the profession."
457 patients were left waiting on trolleys today, including 38 patients in CUH and 14 in the Mercy Hospital.
