Nurses take action over ‘appalling’ conditions

NURSES at one of the country’s largest health-care clinics have begun protest action, claiming cramped conditions are compromising patient care.

Public health nurses at Millbrook Lawns Health Centre in Tallaght, Dublin, held a lunchtime protest last Friday because of what the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) described as “appalling working conditions”.

They were joined by Labour leader Pat Rabbitte, who is to raise the issue with Health Minister Mícheál Martin today.

The centre lost nine rooms in a fire in 1999, including three clinical rooms, one dressing room, an interview room and a baby changing room and was temporarily relocated to a warehouse premises. During this time, addiction services moved into the nurses’ offices. The INO said its members were assured the arrangement was for six months, but the situation remains unchanged four years later. The nurses and a variety of healthcare professionals are sharing the premises with the addiction services.

INO representative Phil Ní Sheaghdha said the date for relocation of the addiction services had been postponed three times this year.

“The centre is catering for a population base of 50,000 people, including a large influx of non-nationals, yet you have a situation where we have been unable to provide an ante-natal and breastfeeding clinic for young mothers for the past four years because of lack of space,” she said.

An incontinence clinic has been operating out of a store room and Ms Ní Sheaghdha said there was no natural lighting in the building and no privacy for clients.

The INO has referred the matter to the Health and Safety Authority.

However, a statement from the South Western Health Board said some repair work had been carried out on the centre including painting, roof repairs and additional office space for nursing. It also said submissions for funding had been made to the Eastern Regional Health Authority.

The SWHB said it plans to relocate the addiction services this year.