INO conference: Knife taken to critical services, says union

THE Irish Nurses Organisation has said that a “knife has been taken to critical services” at the south’s biggest hospital following the HSE’s announcement that staffing levels are to be frozen for financial reasons.

The INO says agency staff are not being hired anymore at Cork University Hospital (CUH), nursing staff are not being replaced when on leave and overtime has been curbed since the September 4 circular.

They also alleged there would be two fewer A&E nursing staff at CUH from next Monday following the order to stay within budgetary constraints.