INMO calls off planned industrial action by nurses
Nurses have called off planned industrial action at seven of the country's emergency departments.
Members of the INMO have accepted revised proposals to tackle overcrowding and staffing at emergency departments in hospitals around the country.
They have voted 71% in favour of the revised proposals from the Workplace Relations Commission.
The INMO has said: "(We) will now insist that all of the hospital and group level structures, involving engagement between hospital management and INMO ED members continues on a weekly basis.
"This is necessary to ensure continuous implementation of the, now agreed, System Wide Escalation Policy which places the pressures on Emergency Departments at the centre of all health service activity.
"In accepting these revised proposals our members have reaffirmed that this dispute was always about patient care and ensuring a save working environment which must minimise overcrowding and maximise the ability of nurses to practice safely with manageable workloads."
INMO General Secretary Liam Doran added: "Our members constantly stated, in all of the information meetings held recently, that this was never about pay and conditions but it was all about ensuring the unacceptable situation, in Emergency Departments, was prioritised, by management."
Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has welcomed the outcome of the vote.
“I welcome this decisive ‘yes’ vote by Emergency Department INMO members who voted by a margin of 71% to accept the measures proposed by the Workplace Relations Commission,” said Minister Varadkar.
“I can assure staff of my personal commitment to seeing that the agreement is implemented in full.
“We are making progress in reducing ED overcrowding. The number of patients on trollies today is 20% lower than it was this day last year, in spite of the influenza outbreak.”
