INMO meeting to discuss maintaining care standards

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has said that patient care can never be sacrificed because of falling finances.

A meeting in Dublin today will discuss the issues surrounding the maintenance of safe practice and the protection of patient care, at a time when hospital budgets are being slashed.

Members of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust in England will share their experiences in similar financial circumstances.

General Secretary of the INMO Liam Doran said the message of today's conference is clear.

"The primary focus today is to learn from the experience of other trusts who came through difficult financial times, and to try and ensure that in these difficult times, the message for nurses on the ground is that they must prioritise patient care," Mr Doran said.

"You can never sacrifice standards of care, even when finances are threatened."