HSE intern plans ‘put patients’ lives at risk’

HSE plans to save money by filling key hospital roles with interns and graduate nurses is putting budgets before patients’ lives.

The Irish Patients’ Association made the claim after the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and HSE officials locked horns over the issue yesterday.

Under fresh plans aiming to help save the service €80m this year, the INMO has been told that from October, only interns and new graduates will be used to fill vacant posts in busy hospital wards.