The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says the 472 new acute beds announced for Cork hospitals are pointless without a workplace plan in place
The Health Minister announced 342 new beds for Cork University Hospital, 82 for the Mercy and 24 each at Mallow and Bantry General Hospitals to come on stream between now and 2031
The nursing union says the delivery of the beds is entirely contingent on correct and safe staffing levels.
Speaking to RedFM News Colm Porter of the INMO in Cork says the number of undergraduate nursing and midwifery places need to be increased to achieve this:
"In reality, this is only one piece of the jigsaw, it's all well and good and announcing extra beds but you need to also significantly increase the number of nurses and midwives, and this can only really be done by increasing the, the number of undergraduate nursing and midwifery places and as well, more needs to be done in terms of retaining staff".
