Kilkenny nurses and midwives to protest against overcrowding

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) are to stage a protest in Kilkenny today (Monday 17th) to highlight unsafe staffing levels and overcrowding.

The INMO members will gather at the gate of St. Luke’s Hospital this afternoon from 12:30 to 13:30. This comes after the hospital was forced to close the 14-bed Ward 7 this summer due to nursing staff shortages.

Protests have already taken place across Galway, Limerick and Cork, and are scheduled to go ahead in Cavan next. Since the HSE admitted to having no plan for the coming winter, despite appeals from the INMO, it is expected that further protests will follow.

INMO general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha has explained the need for these protests, stating:
 
“Nurses and midwives are constantly apologising to patients for the conditions in the health service. Thousands are trapped on trolleys every week, and things will only get worse as winter bites.
 
“Yet the HSE still has no plan to recruit extra staff or cut back services to cope with the demand. This could lead to unplanned cancellations of elective appointments. We can’t go on like this. It’s time for the HSE to be honest with the public.”