Union urges review of nursing staff levels

All maternity units must undergo an urgent “independent review” of nurse staff levels due to concerns over the damage caused by the health service recruitment ban.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation raised the issue last night on the eve of the union’s three-day annual conference, which begins today in Killarney, Co Kerry.

However, a strategy document for 2011-2014 published by the Department of Health last night said staffing level cutbacks would continue to play a key role in health service policy for at least the next three years.