Midwives may strike in bid to get more staff

DISGRUNTLED midwives at Wexford General Hospital meet today to consider industrial action in a last-ditch effort to force hospital management to employ extra staff.

The lives of mothers and babies are being put at risk on a daily basis because of inadequate staffing levels at the hospital, nurses working there say. The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) wrote to the South Eastern Health Board's CEO yesterday requesting an urgent meeting.

And today, industrial relations officer Tony Fitzpatrick is meeting with midwives working at the increasingly busy unit.

The union will consider placing pickets at local health board offices.

The INO highlighted the situation at the hospital a fortnight ago.

But despite extensive media coverage, there has been no formal contact to date with the health board.

"Everything is being driven by budgets and not the continuity or standard of care for patients," Mr Fitzpatrick said.

"Despite highlighting the issues at Wexford General, we've had no direct contact from the board.

"I'm writing to the CEO today and we meet tomorrow to discuss our options.

"We may have to go down the route of industrial action or maybe we'll have to go directly to the health board's headquarters. It will be up to the members to decide," he added.

Three different reports, dating as far back as August 2001, have highlighted the "unsafe" conditions for mothers and babies at Wexford General Hospital particularly at night when staffing levels are lowest.

The situation is now particularly acute, given the 30% hike in births in the region over the past two years. Yet the South Eastern Health Board has not employed the 10 extra midwives and 12 care assistants the hospital urgently needs, the INO said yesterday.

It says staff at the maternity unit are at breaking point, with nurses working through their lunch break, working 12-hour shifts instead of eight for no extra pay and coming in on days off and during annual leave in a bid to maintain the service.

The SEHB said its has made significant improvements at the hospital and that it is addressing the issues highlighted by midwives.