Nursing and midwifery students to receive €100 weekly pandemic placement grant

'Nurses are being rushed back into work, they are asked to give up their leave,' said INMO president Karen McGowan. File picture

Nursing and midwifery students are set to receive a €100 per week pandemic placement grant from next week, backdated to September.

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly made the announcement at the Irish Nurses and Midwifery Organisation's annual delegate conference today.

Professor Tom Collins had made the recommendation earlier this year in a review commissioned by the Department of Health.

Mr Donnelly said today: “I accepted all of the recommendations, and also decided that this placement grant be backdated to September 2020. My department has instructed the HSE to process this payment, and I have confirmation that payments will begin from next week.” 

INMO president Karen McGowan welcomed changes to payments for student nurses and midwives, but noted many of these were promised in November.

She added that “you could fill libraries” with the promises of improved working conditions given to migrant nurses, and called for urgent action in this area.

Independent mediator Sean McHugh has begun a review of “levels of pay for the final-year internship and the travel and accommodation allowances for supernumerary clinical placements". This is expected to be completed by the end of June.

Mr Donnelly acknowledged a shortage of advanced nurse practitioners, and said they hope to increase numbers to 800 or 2% of the workforce.

Referring to the safe staffing framework, he said: “I am aware the rollout has not been as fast as any of us would like.” 

“Your efforts have limited infections, your efforts have saved a lot of lives”. Minister for Health @DonnellyStephen praises nurses and midwives at the 2021 online #INMOADC pic.twitter.com/E2dOQlIzcG

— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) May 7, 2021

Ms McGowan also reflected on the start of the pandemic when nurses and midwives had “to fight” to wear masks. In some cases, she said, they were threatened with disciplinary action for wearing them.

“The INMO’s long-used phrase 'no pressure, no progress' has never been more relevant,” Ms McGowan said.

The union had put a claim to the HSE in November for 10 days' respite leave for all staff. This was not responded to, Ms McGowan said, so the INMO has since taken its case to the Workplace Relations Commission.

“Nurses are being rushed back into work, they are asked to give up their leave,” Ms McGowan said, highlighting the disproportionate impact Covid-19 had on nurses and midwives, with the highest number of infections among all healthcare workers.

An emergency motion calling for the HSE to grant 10 days' respite leave for recovery from the pandemic was unanimously passed at the conference.

INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said burnout is now a real and regular feature of their working lives.

A delegate from Limerick said the failure to offer this leave “will damage the workforce”.

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However, other union members said they are currently so short-staffed it is almost impossible to even take annual leave.

Mr Donnelly, who addressed the conference virtually, praised the nurses and midwives for their work, especially over the last year since the pandemic hit.

“Your efforts have limited infections, saved lives, and provided comfort and high-quality care to those who have suffered, including some of your own colleagues,” he said.

“I would like to pause now for a moment to remember their bravery and dedication, and to think of their families, friends, and colleagues at this difficult time.”