Nurses begin action
The Irish Nurses Organisation claimed two members were disciplined for raising concerns about the health and safety of patients at the hospital.
The union alleged the members were suspended because they did not attend meetings with hospital management to respond to allegations of dysfunctional behaviour.
Nurses will stage a lunchtime protest at the Ballinasloe hospital later today and the INO has stressed that it will take place during members’ lunchtime and that patients will not be affected.
Industrial action started yesterday, with nurses refusing to deputise for senior nursing staff in their absence. The INO has warned that its action will escalate next month unless the matter is resolved.
INO deputy general secretary Dave Hughes said members always wanted an independent investigation of why the managers were put off duty for raising grievances about the running of the hospital.
“At local level this is a very emotive issue and, really, the heat needs to be taken out of it by putting in place an independent investigator,” he said.
The nurses were one of five assistant directors of nursing responsible for hospital management who complained of serious deficiencies in communications and issues regarding the health and safety of patients in the hospital in March of this year.
All five refused an instruction by the hospital’s general manager to attend an assessment process with an external consultant and two were suspended.
An appeal made to the HSE’s national director was heard on November 4. A spokeswoman for the HSE said the two members had been asked to return to duty on Monday, November 10, following the conclusion of the disciplinary procedure.
Mr Hughes said both members were extremely traumatised by events and on medical advice were certified as being too stressed to return to work.
