HSE and nurses set for crunch talks

Crunch talks are set to be held between senior HSE management and national nurse representatives today over the impact hundreds of imminent retirements will have on maternity services.

It is understood the meeting, which will take place in Dublin at 1pm, will outline the number of midwives to be lost from the system on Feb 29 and how budget cuts will impact on care.

In particular, it will inform unions of the new circumstances set to be imposed due to the surge in retirements among senior midwives and public health nurses. The planned budget cuts to be specifically outlined in local service plans will also be discussed.

Among the facilities where there are most concerns are the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, the Rotunda and the Coombe in Dublin, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, and University Hospital Galway.

Figures from the HSE last night show that 1,678 nurses are set to retire this month. This includes 536 in the HSE West, 471 in the South, 219 in Dublin Mid Leinster, 221 in Dublin North East, with 231 also leaving from other services.

Consultant obstetrician, Dr Gerry Burke, warned last month that the Mid-Western Regional Hospital will lose at least one in four of its 200 midwives.

The facility was described by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation yesterday as being “unsafe” due to overcrowding. The union called for a “disaster plan” to be implemented.

The exact budget, staff and services changes for the HSE South will be made public at the regional health forum tomorrow. A similar document for the Dublin North East region will be published on Feb 14.

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