Nurses to back consultants in dispute

NURSES last night rowed in behind hospital consultations in advance of next week’s industrial action over an insurance indemnity dispute.

The Irish Nurses Organisation will advise its nurse managers not to chair any meetings or carry out any administrative actions normally undertaken by consultants.

Earlier this week, hospital consultants rejected a call by Health Minister Micheál Martin to defer planned industrial action. The Irish Hospitals Consultants Association insist the threatened action will not be called off until doctors receive guarantees they would not be left liable for compensation claims of up to €120 million for as yet unsettled obstetric cases.