Health service 'not prepared for winter demand'

The Irish Nurses Organisation says the health service has never been less prepared to face the annual upsurge in demand during the winter months.

The union claims overcrowding in A&E departments has increased by almost one third over the last year.

It also says 700 hospital beds have been closed nationwide due to cutbacks and 900 more are occupied by patients who should be treated elsewhere.

The INO says the problem is being made even worse by the threat posed by swine flu and the ongoing recruitment embargo imposed by the HSE.

It says more than 300 employees - primarily frontline staff - are leaving the health service every month without being replaced.