Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion, which is about delivering fairness to young nurses and midwives in our hospitals and improving staff-patient ratios. Sinn Féin wants our front-line healthcare workers to be recognised for the contribution they have made, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. The motion calls for student nurses and midwives to receive fair pay allowances immediately and for the Government to engage meaningfully with the health and social care trade unions to deliver on pay and conditions.

Nurses and midwives deliver incredible front-line services in very difficult conditions. Only two weeks ago, along with Deputy Cullinane, I met the management of Portlaoise hospital and nurses' unions to discuss access to care and chronic overcapacity in the hospital. Unfortunately, this is mirrored throughout the State. Covid admissions at Portlaoise hospital doubled between 1 October and 1 November. Capacity issues are causing serious and severe problems in service provision. They are also putting a lot of pressure on staff. This is impacting negatively on retention because of staff burnout, overwork, long shifts and few breaks. Nurses will go elsewhere, unfortunately. According to the HSE's website, no ICU or HDU beds were available at Portlaoise hospital on 1 November. There were no free beds in those units. There were also no ICU or HDU beds available in Tullamore hospital. In fact, Portlaoise hospital's ICU was at full capacity for all of October except for four days. There were only four days when there was spare capacity in the ICU.

Hospitals in the midlands are operating at 100% occupancy much of the time. Some of them are operating at slightly over this. We have to address this. There is a range of worrying statistics. A range of reports, including the 2018 Sláintecare health service review, recommend capacity of 80%. My understanding is that 80% capacity is an internationally recognised figure throughout the OECD. We should be at approximately 80% hospital capacity and there should always be that much slack. We are one of the highest spending countries per capitain the OECD on healthcare. Therefore, it is very frustrating that consecutive Governments have failed to address the chronic capacity issues. Sinn Féin wants to deliver a healthcare system that works for patients and a system in which nurses and midwives can build careers and have a future. To do this we need fair pay for student nurses and midwives and adequate hospital capacity.

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