Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha LEAH FARRELL

INMO calls for 'critical emergency' protocols to be implemented across health service

The INMO is also calling on the HSE to improve daily communications with staff.

THE IRISH NURSES and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has said the HSE must implement new “critical emergency” protocols as Ireland’s health service deals with the current Covid-19 surge. 

The organisation raised concerns about the “severe pressure” on the health service at present due to rising cases and understaffing. There are currently 3,000 healthcare workers unavailable due to viral infection or being close contacts of confirmed cases.

The INMO is calling on the HSE to implement a number of measures, including reducing footfall in hospitals, additional PPE and a 24/7 Senior Management presence across Ireland’s health service. 

“It is time for the HSE to ramp up safety plans and introduce critical emergency protocols,” INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said.

“We have safety protocols that have been tweaked since March of last year – the level of pandemic we face now means many need a total overhaul or serious upgrade,” she said.

“The EU biological agent directive was adopted in Ireland in November. It requires the HSE to risk assess and adopt their approach to staff safety – this is the ask and the requirement.”

The INMO is also calling on the HSE to improve daily communications with staff.

It comes after several ICU nurses at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin said requests they made over safety concerns during the first wave of pandemic have still not been addressed.

A number of nurses in the hospital’s ICU say they have consistently raised issues about the lack of sink and shower facilities available to them, as well as the small size of their changing room which is about two metres by eight metres.

Some nurses have also expressed frustration and upset that they were not prioritised when initial doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were given to staff members this week.

The health system is currently under enormous strain. 

Speaking this week, HSE Chief Clinical Officer said – in an optimistic scenario – there will be 1,500 Covid-19 patients in hospital by mid-January. 

The worst-case scenario could see 2,500 people in hospital by mid-January and 400 people in ICU. 

There have been 104 hospital admissions in the last 24 hours and 58 discharges. 

There are – as of this morning – 1,151 confirmed Covid-19 cases in hospital and 109 people in Intensive Care Units.

The previous peak was in mid-April when 881 people were in hospital. The number of ICU cases has more than doubled since last week.  

With reporting by Órla Ryan  

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
10 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Shaun Gallagher
    Favourite Shaun Gallagher
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 7:23 PM

    Is this the same INMO secretary that sold out the nurses a while back. Some cheek

    58
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Corrigan
    Favourite David Corrigan
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 7:37 PM

    @Shaun Gallagher: I don’t she is strong enough for that job.

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Annette
    Favourite Annette
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 7:47 PM

    Who did the nurses in SVUH consistently raise concerns with & what has the INMO rep done about it? What has Quality & Patient Safety, the nursing directorate & Joint Commission International which accredits SVUH got to say?

    25
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Albert Brennerman
    Favourite Albert Brennerman
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 9:45 PM

    Another toothless rep body. Expenses.
    Why are managers and admin getting vaccines before frontline doctors, nurses? That is a disgrace. Unless all the nurses have been duped, it’s happening.

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Murphy
    Favourite Paul Murphy
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 9:53 PM

    @Albert Brennerman: admin is a very important part of the vaccination process unless you expect nurses to do that as well. Nurses in acute units are being prioritised along with all the others who work along side them, cleaners, catering porters, radiographers. HCAs and so on
    ,

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Arch Angel
    Favourite Arch Angel
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 10:17 PM

    @Albert Brennerman: Who said they were? If you have personal experience of this happening, management and admin staff who don’t have exposure to Covid patients receiving the vaccine in advance of frontline doctors, nurses who do, then share the details.

    4
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jules
    Favourite Jules
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 10:39 PM

    @Albert Brennerman: fully agree, do we really live in a democracy went mainstream media rarely addresses these issues?

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dave
    Favourite Dave
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 8:45 PM

    A response to the earlier article about the deplorable conditions…. Hopefully it will be the start of heads rolling in the HSE and these so called “management” being held to account..

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Flynn
    Favourite Michael Flynn
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 7:27 PM

    The three most important things to get right in a crisis are 1. communications 2. communications 3. communications. NPHET terms of reference sets out its resposibility for communications. Having a daily press conference, publishing slides and tweeting is not good enough. Micheal Martin needs to ruthlessly act to get this right not form another Expert Group or do a reshuffle.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Arch Angel
    Favourite Arch Angel
    Report
    Jan 8th 2021, 9:21 PM

    I don’t think anyone would doubt the need or question the dedication of many of our nurses, having said that I fail to see what Phil Ní Sheaghdha expects of the HSE during the worst global pandemic in it’s history.
    The entire organisation is under the “severe pressure” right now, every aspect of it must be prioritised, from care to who gets the vaccine first. Phil Ní Sheaghdha must realise that the HSE is comprised of more than nurses, there are doctors, health assistants, cleaners, porters, support staff etc. and a significant number of them are male.
    I’ve spoken to many male employees of various hospitals over the years, including some junior doctors, who have never had changing facilities and even during the pandemic have to change in toilets.
    I’m sure Phil Ní Sheaghdha would agree that most hospitals would prioritise which members of their staff are to receive the vaccine first based upon their exposure to Covid_19 patients, and not being nurses.

    10
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds