INMO General Secretary Criticises HSE for Neglecting Healthcare Sector Amid Staffing Crisis
Cork: Phil Ní Sheaghdha, General Secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), has sharply criticised the Health Service Executive (HSE) for prioritising financial gain over patient and staff safety, and for failing to address the ongoing challenges within Ireland’s healthcare system. Speaking at a protest in Cork yesterday, ahead of the upcoming strike action, Ní Sheaghdha accused the HSE of disregarding the sector’s backwardness and urgent staffing needs.
She pointed to the growing elderly population in the country and stressed the importance of accelerating recruitment efforts and long-term planning in the healthcare system. Despite this pressing need, recruitment has remained stagnant. Ní Sheaghdha revealed that the HSE had announced in July that all vacant posts would be eliminated by December 2023, with a claim that only 2,000 vacancies remained in nursing and midwifery—a number widely disputed.
Escalating Protests and Agitation
Ní Sheaghdha emphasised that the main issue raised in community meetings is the failure to hire essential staff, yet the HSE persists with its hiring freeze. She warned that there will be intensified protests and agitation in the coming days, continuing until meaningful reforms are made to safeguard the healthcare system. “Patient safety must be prioritised, and this requires adequate staffing levels,” Ní Sheaghdha declared.
Staff Shortages and Patient Safety
The hiring freeze has resulted in significant strain on hospitals, leading to critical staffing shortages. According to reports from multiple healthcare agencies, these shortages jeopardise patient safety—a situation the HSE has been accused of ignoring. The INMO is calling for a legally binding agreement that establishes clear staffing levels for each hospital, ensuring patient care is not compromised.
Ní Sheaghdha also criticised the removal of staffing autonomy from directors of nursing, a change that has further exacerbated the crisis. Previously, nursing directors had the authority to fill vacancies as needed, ensuring hospitals were adequately staffed. “This system provided a sense of security in our hospitals,” she said, adding that there are plenty of qualified candidates applying for nursing roles, yet the vacancies remain unfilled.
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