Contingency plan in place at Sligo Hospital

A contingency plan has been put in place at Sligo General Hospital ahead of a planned strike by nursing staff this Wednesday.

The nurses all mounted a one-day stoppage last week in protest at the hospital's failure to address major staff shortages.

The hospital is now enforcing a new protocol under which patients will be assessed on arrival, stabilised if necessary and then moved to other hospitals in the region.

The plan is aimed at reducing the number of patients at the hospital ahead of Wednesday's strike.

Both sides are holding talks under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission today in an effort to avert the action.