INMO accepts recruitment plans

Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation have voted to accept proposals to deal with recruitment and retention issues in the health service.

INMO members voted by a margin of 82% to accept the proposals emerging from talks chaired by the Workplace Relations Commission. The union had recommended accepting the proposals that include increasing the nursing and midwifery workforce by 1,200 to more than 37,000 before the end of the year.

Other measures include offering all graduating nurses and midwives full-time contracts; increased incentives to attract nurses and midwives back from overseas, particularly Britain; and improved educational opportunities and career pathways.

INMO president Martina Harkin-Kelly said the proposals are just the first step in a three-year programme to increase the number of nurses and midwives in the health service to more than 40,000.

The union will also be involved in talks with the Government on a successor to the Lansdowne Road public service agreement due to commence this summer following publication of the report by the Public Service Pay Commission.

Welcoming the INMO ballot, Health Minister Simon Harris said the HSE will attend a major health sector jobs fair in London today where it will seek to attract nurses and midwives to Ireland, including those concerned about their future in Britain following the Brexit decision.