Labour Court recommends audit of Tallaght Hospital escalation procedure

The Labour Court recommended that Tallaght Hospital audit its escalation procedure after a dispute with the Irish Nurses Organisation over using the day surgical unit for patients needing admission when ward beds were unavailable. The recommendation was signed on 7 May 2003. The Court said the audit should include surveys from earlier months, with all relevant parties taking part. It also recommended setting a timetable for the audit and prioritising proposals to improve the situation by the end of June. The Court noted that admissions had increased since the procedure was introduced and recognised the union’s view that more could be done to ease pressure on staff.