NURSES AT THE Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick are to continue their protest against conditions at the Emergency Department with a demonstration outside Government buildings next week.
On Wednesday, nurses – who are mostly members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and Siptu – will travel by bus from Limerick to Dublin, making a stop on the way to deliver a letter to the chief executive of the Health Service Executive Cathal Magee at Dr Steeven’s Hospital.
Letters will also be handed in to Health Minister Dr James Reilly and the Taoiseach Enda Kenny in efforts to find a resolution to the nurses’ worries over patient care and safety.
The decision to take the protest to Dublin came after a “very angry” meeting of INMO and Siptu members yesterday.
INMO industrial relations officer Mary Fogarty explained:
The anger and frustration of our members over the continued overcrowding in the MWRH and apparent lack of interest by the HSE to resolve the issues continues unabated. It is impossible to comprehend how the recommendations of the Special Delivery Unit, specifically set up by the Minister for Health to sort out the crisis, are being ignored by management.”
Nurses from the Emergency Department at the Limerick hospital have already held three work stoppages over concerns about overcrowding, acute bed closures and a moratorium on recruitment.
Wednesday’s demonstration will take place between 1pm and 2pm and the unions have invited TDs and Senators to show their support. They have also asked all sitting Limerick TDs to come to a meeting after the protest.
According to the latest TrolleyWatch figures, there were 14 patients waiting on beds at the Limerick hospital.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say