INO seeks safety inspections of all A&E units
The Irish Nurses Organisation has called on the Health and Safety Authority to conduct inspections of every accident and emergency department in the State.
The organisation has welcomed the authority's decision to inspect 11 A&E units in the coming weeks, but said spot checks should also be carried out in other hospitals.
The planned inspections have been prompted by growing anger over the long-running problem of A&E overcrowding in Irish hospitals.
The INO, which has been to the forefront in highlighting the matter, said 339 patients were being treated on trolleys across the country yesterday due to the lack of hospital beds.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of the A&E forum today, the organisation’s general secretary, Liam Doran, said he would be keeping up pressure on the Government to tackle the problem.
The A&E forum was established by Tánaiste and Health Minister Mary Harney as part of her promise to ease the accident and emergency crisis.
"We'll be asking what the employers have done in the last month to identify risks and to address those risks and deal with those risks and we'll be seeing from that forum how much progress has been made in implementing the Tánaiste's 10-point plan, which is aimed at addressing the overcrowding problem nationwide," Mr Doran said.
