HSE’s focus is on finance, not patient safety, says INMO general secretary

The focus of the health service is now on finances rather than patient safety, according to the general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, who was commenting ahead of a series of lunchtime protests about staff shortages.

The current ceilings and caps on recruitment were very restrictive, she told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland. “The process of recruitment has become increasingly more difficult.”

Ms Ní Sheaghdha pointed out that every report into the health service cited staffing levels as the main issue.

“What we want is legislation to ensure that when we make agreements about safe staffing, they are measured on patient safety, that they’re implemented, but they’re not subject to annual cuts and delays in recruitment which are purposefully introduced. That is causing the service to be unsafe.”

Directors of nursing have been “stripped of their authority to recruit where they see gaps and where they see need. And there is a focus…

We’ve summarized this news for a quick read. If you’re interested, you can read the full article here:

Breakingnews.ie