Nurses at the region’s main hospital have rejected HSE claims that their four hour stoppage today could pose a threat to patient safety.
The HSE has appealed to the nurses to call off the action however staff insists adequate emergency cover will be in place.
Nurses at the A&E department at Dooradoyle are to embark on a work stoppage from 1:00 until 5:00 today, to highlight what they say is chronic overcrowding at the region’s main emergency department.
While acknowledging that there are pressures on nursing staff, HSE Mid West area manager, Bernard Gloster is calling on nurses to abandon their stoppage
The HSE say nurses have shown an extraordinary lack of cooperation in normal contingency planning ahead of today’s stoppage, though INMO representatives disagree.
They claim this statement is incorrect, and regional spokesperson Mary Fogerty says this has further damaged relations between the sides.
The emergency department at Ennis General is unaffected by today’s work stoppage and while the HSE says anyone who attends Dooradoyle in need of urgent care will be catered for, they’re asking for all others to refrain from attending the emergency department.
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