Medic warns of nurse shortage in care home sector

The country’s nursing homes are facing a major shortage of nurses to care for elderly patients over the coming years, a senior medic has warned.

Professor Brendan McCormack, president of the All Ireland Gerontological Nurses Association (AIGNA), said the specific skills of nurses in the nursing home sector were under threat, despite their services never being in so much demand.

It is estimated that there are currently more than 570 vacancies for full-time nurses at all grades in private and voluntary nursing homes with the figure predicted to rise to almost 870 over the next 12 months.