Donegal members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) are seeking urgent changes and extra support as the union gathers for its annual conference today.
Members are calling on senior decision-makers in both the HSE and Government to develop a year-round plan to tackle the overcrowding crisis.
“There has been no opportunity for nurses and midwives to regain a stable footing since 2019, as it’s just been crisis after crisis in the health service since then,” INMO President Karen McGowan told RTE Radio 1 ahead of today’s meetings.
Both the Letterkenny and Inishowen branches of the INMO will raise motions at the three day conference.
Letterkenny nurses and midwives are asking the INMO to demand that appropriate nursing governance structures are established in all HSE health and social care facilities and that pay is commensurate to the level of responsibility carried. The branch is also calling on the HSE to provide protected time and enhance the supports available to nurses and midwives for clinical education and staff development. This motion relates to the challenges faced by nurses and midwives in supporting the preceptorship and mentorship of undergraduate students, and newly appointed staff.
Members of the Inishowen branch have tabled a motion asking the INMO to liaise with Government and seek the support of ICTU to expand the supports available to nurses and midwives who are experiencing health issues in order to retain these experienced staff within the health service.
Over 350 delegates are expected to attend the organisation’s 104th Annual Delegate Conference. Over 50 motions will be debated on cost-of-living increases, housing, hospital overcrowding, safety in the workplace, domestic violence, recruitment and retention and more.
The conference takes place following another busy weekend of overcrowding in Irish hospitals. 704 patients were admitted to hospital without a bed on Tuesday morning.
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “We are seeing yet another predictable post-bank holiday surge in hospital overcrowding.
“Of the five bank holidays we have had so far this year, we have seen out-of-control numbers of patients on trolleys in the days following. This level of overcrowding must not be allowed to continue further into the year.”
