Day of nursing stoppages sparks cancellations

ON the first day of work stoppages in the worsening row between nurses and health employers, 28 patients have had operations and outpatient clinics cancelled.

South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, will bear the brunt of today’s action with seven operations cancelled, 14 general medical outpatient clinics, six orthopaedic outpatient clinics and one respiratory nurse clinic cancelled.

A statement from the Health Service Executive (HSE) said the cancellations were “on the advice of clinicians” and that all appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

Mental health services in the region — including St Luke’s Psychiatric Hospital — will also be targeted during the one-hour work stoppage due to take place between 11am and 12 noon.

Mental Health Ireland chief Brian Howard said they were hopeful the nurses’ action would not jeopardise the treatment and care of patients in both the general mental health services and in psychiatric hospital care.

The HSE said contingency plans, drawn up with the co-operation of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), should minimise disruption.

Both the PNA and the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) are engaged in strike action as part of a strategy to force the Government to address their demands for a 35-hour week and a 10.6% pay hike. Having failed to achieve any breakthrough during nine days of a work-to-rule, action has now been escalated to include work stoppages.

In addition to South Tipperary, St Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin, where up to 900 nurses work, has also been targeted. Management at St Vincent’s last night said all planned theatre procedures would go ahead today but that patients should expect delays.

Out-patients and day patients services were also set to continue.

“It is important that patients attend at their appointed time even if this is between 11am and midday — the hour of the work stoppage.”

There were no talks yesterday between the unions and the HSE aimed at breaking the deadlock.

Health Minister Mary Harney, speaking in Limerick, called for more time to have the nurses’ demand for a shorter working week fully costed.

She said: “If that can be done on a cost neutral basis, we need time to assess that... We cannot simply press a green button in relation to hours without knowing what the implications of it would be on the ground.”

Last night HSE hospital networks manager Gerry O’Dwyer said the system had been “generally sluggish” as a result of the dispute.

Plans for a second work stoppage on Friday will be announced today. A second major Dublin hospital is expected to be targeted.