High-ranking public health nurses in the Health Service Executive’s western and northwestern regions in Ireland are set to initiate work-to-rule action amid escalating concerns over staffing numbers and work burden. This announcement was made on Monday by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), revealing that regional nursing directors and several deputy directors have opted for this course of action due to the HSE’s failure to put into effect measures to remedy the issues at hand.
The INMO and the HSE have conducted local engagement and two sessions with the Workplace Relations Commission, but the union claims that the resolution of the identified problems, including the provision of additional staff, has not been materialised.
David Miskell, the INMO’s professional and regulatory officer, highlighted the unendurable stress on public health nursing directors in Galway. He pointed out that while the national average demographic served by a public health nursing director is 150,000 individuals, the figures rise to 285,000 for Galway due to its unique profile consisting of a vast geographical area, urban-rural mix, islands, and an expanding populace.
The lack of adequate staffing and resources imply a decline in patient care delivery. Miskell warned that the welfare and safety of INMO members in Galway’s public health nursing sector are severely compromised, forcing public health nurse management in the region to consider industrial action.
Miskell expressed hope that the HSE would seriously address the issues raised, warning that absent meaningful engagement, the work-to-rule action would kick off at the end of this week and intensify in the subsequent weeks. The HSE has yet to comment on the matter.