Government and HSE ‘must act’ to avoid industrial action at Mayo University Hospital
Nurses at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) are set to begin industrial action on Monday, November 3, following notice from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) over unsafe staffing levels in the Emergency Department (ED).
Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh has called on the Government and HSE to act urgently to resolve the crisis before the strike begins.
Deputy Conway-Walsh stated that safe staffing and a secure workplace are essential for the safety of both patients and staff, and stressed that the situation at MUH is not the fault of the hardworking nurses and midwives who continue to operate under increasingly precarious conditions.
At the start of the month the hospital manager at MUH, Catherine Donohoe, confirmed that the ED would gain 15 whole-time equivalent (WTE) nurses and 3.5 WTE healthcare assistants. However, this increase fell short of the safe staffing levels outlined by the HSE’s Safe Staffing Framework.
The INMO stated that the ED currently faces a deficit of over 10 whole-time equivalent (WTE) nurses, and an additional 28.5 WTE nurses are needed to meet the standards set out by the HSE to ensure patient and staff safety.
A spokesperson for the INMO said the ED is currently not operating safely, with incomplete rosters, unsafe shifts, and high trolley numbers placing staff under significant pressure in an unsafe working environment.
INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations for the West, Colm Porter, said that members feel recent management actions do not demonstrate a genuine commitment to protecting their safety at work.
He added that while members were disappointed the situation had reached this point, the risks to patients had become too significant, and their concerns were not being taken seriously
"Attempts to downplay the severity of the situation in Mayo by the Minister for Health and hospital management in recent days are contrary to the very real lived experiences of our members and the patients they are trying to provide safe care to," he said.
Deputy Conway-Walsh emphasised the human impact of the staffing crisis: "People in Mayo deserve an Emergency Department they can feel safe attending. Dedicated, hardworking staff deserve a safe workplace where they can do what they have been trained to do – give the best care possible to sick patients,
"How can they do this when the corridor is lined with trolleys every night and there is hardly room to move, never mind treat patients?" she asked.
The INMO reported that since January, over 3,577 patients had been forced to wait on trolleys due to chronic overcrowding. In August, it was reported that one man waited over 13 hours in the back of an ambulance to be admitted to the ED at MUH.
"Worn-out nurses run from one sick patient to another, trying to keep them safe while ambulances back up outside the door, sometimes for hours. It cannot be allowed to continue. Now is the time to shout stop," said the Sinn Féin TD.
She urged the HSE to engage in genuine dialogue with the INMO, using up-to-date data to immediately implement safe staffing levels and ensure patient safety, stressing that it is not too late to act.
Deputy Conway-Walsh expressed her full support for the INMO members' decision to strike as part of their efforts to resolve the ongoing staffing issues.
This article has been funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.