SIPTU threatens strike action over A&E crisis
Friday, February 04, 2005 - 04:33 PM
The crisis in Ireland’s Accident and Emergency wards could be set to escalate after the country’s largest trade union threatened industrial action today.
SIPTU Nursing Official Oliver McDonagh warned staff may be prepared to take action if the current situation does not improve.
“Unless the Tánaiste and Minister for Health, Mary Harney comes up with real and lasting solutions to the crisis in accident and emergency units, we could be facing industrial action,” he said.
The union’s National Nursing Council said there was nothing new in the Minister’s 10-point plan to tackle overcrowding and warned nurses will no longer tolerate being “fobbed off”.
“At a recent meeting of the SIPTU nurses working in A&E units, nurses pointed out that apart from making money available for more hospital beds there is nothing new in the Minister’s 10 point plan,” Mr McDonagh said.
“During Minister Micheal Martin’s tenure in office, the A&E units underwent review after review yet the crisis continued. 2004 was the worst year in the history of our health services and 2005 looks set to be even worse.
“There is very little in the Tanaiste’s plan – other than more reviews of a situation that has been reviewed to death.”
SIPTU’s National Nursing Council also called on Ms Harney to take a number of simple steps it claimed would immediately improve the situation. It demanded:
:: More beds must be made available.
:: A medical registrar must be appointed to all A&E units on a 24/7 basis and given the power to discharge without awaiting a consultant.
:: A discharge plan must be put in place for every patient as they enter the hospital.
Mr McDonagh said the SIPTU Nursing Council has sought a meeting with Ms Harney to discuss the issue.
“There are an average of 300 patients a day sleeping on trolleys in Irish hospitals and this has become accepted as the norm,” he said.
“It is only when it gets totally out of control that any action is taken. Our A&E co-ordinating committee will be organising a series of meetings over the coming months and will be lobbying the Minister for action.
“If this does not work – the alternative of a return to industrial action will be strongly considered,” he added.
