UMHL workers to protest 'catastrophic' staffing levels

Nurses and midwives will stage a lunchtime protest today over what their union says are unsafe staffing levels at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL).

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) says between 30 and 35 frontline posts were cut at UMHL following the introduction of the HSE's Pay and Numbers Strategy for 2023-2024.

It says the impact has been "catastrophic" for a hospital already under significant pressure.

The INMO says many areas of the hospital are now running rosters at 50% below safe levels.

In a statement ahead of today’s protest, it said, "The Neonatal Unit is beyond safe capacity while awaiting HSE approval for service expansion and the Labour Ward has daily deficits of midwives on duty".

Breach of agreement

The union has accused the HSE of breaching an agreement reached in the hospital in 2015 at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) regarding minimum midwife and nurse staffing levels.

It says its members are now carrying insurmountable workloads to try to maintain safe clinical care for all mothers and babies.

A recent offer of 10 additional posts will not have any significant impact, it says.

INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations for Midwest Mary Fogarty said, "Our members will protest at the failures of the HSE to uphold the agreement on staffing at the hospital brokered by the INMO and local management at the WRC in 2015".