[donmurray]

Copied from the Irish Nurses Organisation website, thought it might interest some.

Strike notice served at Our Ladys Hospital, Cashel - 2/10/2002


Press Release - 2/10/2002

Strike notice served at Our Ladys Hospital, Cashel

Members of the Irish Nurses Organisation at Our Ladys Hospital, Cashel have balloted 99% in favour of industrial action in pursuit of their legitimate claim for increased staffing levels in that hospital. The INO has met with management on several occasions where the organisation has outlined the gross staffing inadequacies in the theatre department and in the hospital wards. Management have accepted that the staffing levels are inadequate in comparison to other centres in the South Eastern Health Board but state that due to budgetary constraints they are unable to increase the current levels.

This is totally unacceptable to the INO and has left us with no option but to ballot for industrial action. This action is planned to commence on Monday, October 14th with a lunchtime protest at the hospital gates from 1.00p.m.to 2.00 p.m. followed by a work to rule in all clinical areas of the hospital.

Speaking today, INO Industrial Relations Officer, Tony Fitzpatrick said "It is regrettable that professional staff have to engage in industrial action in order to ensure safe adequate staffing levels conducive to the delivery of quality care. Nurses at Our Ladys have tolerated this situation for too long but have now come to a stage where it will not be accepted and management will have to make substantial improvements in the staffing/ patient ratio in order to avert industrial action", he said.

[canoehead]

Rock on Ireland!

Nice to see them out there and active, stirring up trouble.

[NRSKarenRN]

In the same vein Don:

Cleanliness standards hit by staff cuts, claims union

By Colin Parish
http://www.nursing-standard.co.uk/thisweek/news2.htm


A 50 PER CENT cut in the number of cleaning and domestic staff in Northern Ireland since 1990 is putting patients at risk and placing an extra burden on nursing staff, according to unions.

Figures published in the Northern Ireland Health and Personal Social Services Workforce Census show the number of ancillary and general staff, including cleaners, domestics and other support workers, fell from 10,079 whole time equivalents (WTE) in March 1990, to 5,134 this year.

Unison Northern Ireland acting regional secretary Patricia McKeown said there has been a ‘serious drop’ in standards of cleanliness in hospitals and care homes, and a rise in the number of outbreaks of antibiotic-resistant infections. She estimated trusts need an extra £4 million to meet required standards.

Six months ago the Northern Ireland health department asked boards and trusts to set standards to improve hospital cleanliness. But much more needs to be done, Ms McKeown warns. ‘Targeting support services to make cuts has had an adverse impact on standards and also on women workers who have lost their jobs,’ she said.

A spokesperson for the health department said a working group had been set up to decide the most effective way to spend the £300,000 set aside for environmental cleanliness in hospitals.

RCN Northern Ireland acting board secretary Hilary Heron said the reduction in cleaning staff was a matter of real concern for nurses. ‘Any decline in the number of cleaning staff will place an increased burden on registered nurses and could put patients at risk,’ Ms Heron said.

The census also reveals the number of qualified nurses and midwives plummeted 1,800 to 11,246 between 1990 and 1998, although it is now 11,591.The health department spokesperson said recruitment campaigns have been run to attract staff and student numbers have risen by 200 a year since 1997. Ms Heron said it will take ‘many years’ to address shortages.

• The RCN in Northern Ireland has warned that the introduction of private finance into the province’s health services must not lead to a fall in standards of care. Responding to a consultation paper, Ms Heron said the college remained unconvinced that public-private partnerships led to better care.

[tonicareer]

See it is a worldwide problem. Nurses are expected to care for too many patients and have too many other duties. It is all about profit not patient care.

[nightingale]

Interesting articles Karen and Don. Toni.. it is everywhere... how sad.