INMO to ballot Emergency Department members on industrial action
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has decided to hold a ballot on industrial action for all of its members working in Emergency Departments.
It is in protest at the "persistent, and deepening, levels of overcrowding in Emergency Departments across the country" and is to "seek a mandate for industrial action, up to and including the withdrawal of labour".
They said that the laatest Trolley Watch figures confirm that overcrowding is at record levels with October seeing 7,971 patients on trolleys.
They said: "Such a level of overcrowding and understaffing is posing significant risks for the health and safety of nurses working in those departments.
"In the first 10 months of this year almost 80,000 admitted patients, were on trolleys, which is the highest ever figure for the first 10 months of any year since Trolley Watch began."
They also said that there is a "complete failure of management" to address identified areas of concern in staffing, maintaining a safe work environment and having a senior clinical decision-maker in the department every day.
They also want departments to consistently use agreed escalation planning and to have more Triage Nurses.
INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said: "Our members have had enough, we believe patients have had more than enough and a campaign of action, including industrial action, is now necessary to secure the necessary measures to alleviate this crisis.
"This campaign, when mandated by members, will demand the additional staffing and other measures necessary to recognise the current reality, minimise risk to patients and ensure the health and wellbeing of nursing staff in the frontline.
"Our members have told us safe care must be prioritised, the crisis cannot be ignored by management any longer and that patient care is being compromised because of overcrowding."
