Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The winter initiative is being launched today but there is a specific problem in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe. Two thirds of the public health nurse posts in the community are vacant. Oncology and chemotherapy patients in the hospital cannot be discharged because of the embargo and the shortage of public health nurses.

Will the Minister intervene directly to address this issue? There is no point in investing in a hospital if patients cannot be discharged back into the community because of the lack of community nurses.

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