Hospitals braced for nurses' strike

Contingency plans were being finalised in hospitals tonight as scores of nurses in Dublin and Tipperary prepare to stage a series of hour-long work stoppages.

Almost 30 operations at South Tipperary General Hospital (STGH) in Clonmel have been cancelled tomorrow, while patients at St Vincent’s Hospital in the capital have been warned they face delays.

A lunch hour stoppage will also be held at South Tipperary Mental Health Services.

But as the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) and Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) step up their campaign for better pay and working hours, management at St Vincent’s Hospital stressed that all planned surgery would go ahead.

However, 28 procedures in Tipperary have been postponed, including seven general surgical and medical procedures, 14 from the general out-patient department medical clinic, six orthopaedic operations, and one relating to respiratory illness.

Hospital management stressed that all of the operations have already been rescheduled.

“Management at STGH will monitor the situation closely and will work to minimise the effect of the cancellations by rescheduling cancelled patients as soon as possible,” said Fiachra O Ceilleachair, of the HSE.

“Following a meeting involving the HSE, the INO and the PNA, management at STGH and the South Tipperary Mental Health Services have been informed that safe levels of cover will be provided for critical care areas and emergencies.

“Cancer and Palliative Care services and Warfarin Clinics will not be affected.”

The HSE warned patients who have appointments for tomorrow should attend at the appointed time unless advised otherwise.

Demands by the union’s 40,000 nurses and midwives for a pay increase of 10.5% outside of the national benchmarking process and a 35-hour working week have been refused by the Health Service Executive.

Industrial action began last week after three weeks of negotiations between health chiefs and unions collapsed during crunch talks at Government buildings.

Nursing staff nationwide started a work-to-rule, refusing to carry out non-essential duties including answering telephones, working computer systems and attending meetings.

The move was followed with the announcement of one-hour demonstrations between 11am and midday tomorrow at St Vincent’s Hospital in the capital, as well as South Tipperary General Hospital, Clonmel and South Tipperary Mental Health Services.

A second series of short work stoppages is threatened on Friday.

Management at St Vincent’s University Hospital held talks today with the INO coordinating committee on site to minimise the impact on patients as a result of the work stoppage.

It said out-patient and day patient services will continue as normal, but there will be some delays.

The Emergency Department will continue to deal with major emergencies and traumas, but those with minor problems are asked to attend their GP surgery where possible.

“It is important that patients attend at their appointed time, even if this is between 11am and midday – the hour of the work stoppage,” said a hospital spokesman. “Patients need not contact the hospital in advance.

“We are requesting that phone enquiries regarding the welfare of in-patients, and about routine appointments, be kept to a minimum.”