The INMO is meeting with management within the UL Hospitals Group today to discuss issues relating to a shortage of staff.
It’s emerged that of the more than 80 nurses and midwives due to graduate, only a small number have been offered a contract by the HSE, despite being promised posts.
57 nurses and 28 midwives are due to graduate from UL shortly, but despite more than 120 vacancies across the Midwest, none had been offered a contract up until this week.
There has been some movement in the past number of days, but nursing representatives say it appears that a clampdown on spending in the HSE is affecting the ability to recruit.
Some contracts have now been offered to graduates, but the INMO’s Midwest Representative, says it’s still not enough, and that goes against a promise of job offers to all graduates by Minister Harris earlier this year
The union is meeting with hospital management today to look at curtailing services, which Mary Fogarty says is fast becoming necessary.
Local health campaigner Ann Norton fears that if the process of offering contracts isn’t fast-tracked, graduates will ultimately emigrate.
The Barefield Independent Councillor feels it’s crucial that young nurses and midwives are hired.
