Dublin: The Irish Nurses’ Union, INMO, is gearing up for a potential strike in protest of measures that have brought staff recruitment in Ireland to a standstill, exacerbating the challenge of staff retention. The Department of Health recently notified the National Joint Council of the Irish Health Service that the Health Service Executive (HSE) may extend the freeze on recruiting all categories of staff until the year’s end.
Yesterday’s announcement has stirred significant unrest, as the INMO executive alleges that the decision to freeze recruitment was made “without conducting a study and without consulting the union. Even a request for a meeting with the HSE was rejected,” according to a statement released by the union. The recruitment freeze has prompted not only nurses but also managers and administrative officers to consider joining the strike.
Various healthcare organisations, including the Irish Medical Organisation, the Psychiatric Nurses Association, and the Joint Council for the Management of Industrial Relations, have condemned the decision to halt recruitment. General Secretary Ni Sheaghdha emphasised that the INMO had been warning the government for several months about the severe winter congestion the healthcare system is experiencing.
The freeze comes in the wake of concerns about rising cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at children’s hospitals, including Temple Street, Crumlin, and Tallaght Children’s Hospitals. CEO Bernard Gloster initiated the recruitment freeze last month, citing the hiring of more than 200 additional staff this year than originally planned or budgeted. The potential extension of this freeze, announced yesterday, has sent shockwaves through the entire healthcare system, intensifying the urgency for resolution and a comprehensive strategy to address the staffing crisis.
Irish Samachar English News