Public health nurse management in Galway to begin industrial action

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has served notice of industrial action on HSE West and North West. The notice follows voting by public health nurse management in Galway over the HSE’s failure to implement recommendations to help ease the “extreme pressure” on staff in the area. INMO Professional and Regulatory Officer David Miskell described the current pressures being experienced in the region as “intolerable”. He stated that patient care is “falling short”, and that the health and safety of INMO members practising in public health in Galway is now “significantly compromised” as a result of the ongoing challenges. “Public health nurse management in Galway are at a juncture now where they feel like they have no other option but to engage in industrial action,” he said.

Mr Miskell compared the Galway catchment of 285,000 people to the national average of 150,000, adding
that the region is “unique” in view of its “large geographic area with an urban-rural mix, island populations, and a growing population”.

“Despite local engagement and two conciliation conferences that took place under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission, no meaningful resolution has been reached, with the additional resources required to maintain safe and effective care for the people of Galway not being put in place… HSE West and North West must now urgently and meaningfully engage with the INMO in relation to the matters at the centre of this dispute. The provision of putting all resources that are necessary to provide a safe public health nursing service for the people of Galway must be a priority. If the HSE fails to engage, regrettably this industrial action will escalate over the coming weeks.”