Written answers

Thursday, 3 December 2015

Department of Health

Accident and Emergency Services Provision

Photo of Ruth CoppingerRuth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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25. To ask the Minister for Health his views on nurses in emergency departments voting by 92% in favour of strike action as a stand against continuing overcrowding, inadequate staffing and the ongoing compromising of patient care. [42981/15]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The INMO ballot result by nurses working in Emergency Departments is disappointing especially given that actions proposed in the Emergency Department Task Force Plan are beginning to take effect. The ED Taskforce Implementation Group which is co-chaired by the Director General of the HSE and Liam Doran (INMO General Secretary) has implemented a range of measures and others are in train.

We have a plan to address Emergency Department overcrowding which was developed by the ED Taskforce which is currently being implemented and is beginning to achieve results. Additional funding of €18 million has been provided to support the acute hospital system over the winter period by providing additional bed capacity and other initiatives to support access to care. A total of 129 hospital beds which had been closed for refurbishment or for infection control purposes during 2015 are to be re-opened and 91 of these hospital beds have already been re-opened. A further 301 beds are being added to support the acute hospital system over the winter period across various locations, including Limerick, Drogheda, Galway and North Dublin, and 107 of these additional beds have also been opened.

Staffing levels are being addressed. The number of consultants has grown significantly in recent years to 2,719 WTE. This includes an additional 320 in the last five years, notwithstanding the economic crisis. The number of nurses employed has increased by over 759 in the past 12 months and there are many initiatives currently underway to improve nursing staff levels throughout the country. These include offering full time permanent contracts to the 2015 degree programme graduates, and an international recruitment campaign.

Industrial action will not resolve the current difficulties and the focus must remain on implementing the Task Force plan.

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