'Action must be taken now' - INMO calls for winter plan to protect patients and health staff

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is calling for a winter plan to protect patients and healthcare staff to be published "immediately".  

Today's (September 17) call comes on World Patient Safety Day, an international initiative raising awareness on patient safety and ensuring it is established as a global health priority. 

INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: "This World Patient Safety Day we must take stock of the impact that chronic hospital overcrowding is having on those who are in our hospitals without a bed and our members who are often their first port of call when it comes to their treatment." 

According to the INMO, over 2,698 patients including 63 children have waited without a bed in Irish hospitals since Monday (September 12). 

She continued: "Nurses and midwives are facing into yet another winter where they are left in impossible and often dangerous care environments. To this end, we are calling for the Minister for Health and the HSE to publish the 2022/2023 Winter Plan in tandem with a multi-annual budget allocation for the health service as part of Budget 2023." 

According to Ms Ní Sheaghdha, a number of changes must be made to improve services. 

She said, "Budget 2023 must have a laser focus on the recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives. There must be an investment in maternity services to give women greater choice about childbirth also to address the fact that maternity wards are closing due to a chronic shortage of midwives. There must be a change in mindset of how we configure maternity services that allows for more midwife-led units. 

"Slántecare as it was intended must be a core plank of the upcoming health budget. Emphasis on care in the community can only lead to better outcomes for patients."   

Her comments come as the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, re-iterated his support for World Patient Safety Day. 

Earlier today, he said, "I am delighted to mark and promote this year’s World Patient Safety Day on the theme of Medication Without Harm. Safe and appropriate use of medication allows and empowers patients to live longer, healthier lives, benefiting them, their families and society.

"The use of the right medication at the right time in the right way by the right patient is one of the most effective health care interventions available."

Ms Ní Sheaghdha concluded: "We know that overcrowding has significant negative health outcomes for patients. As a nation, cannot continue to trundle from winter trolley chaos to winter trolley chaos while glossing over the very real impact this has on patients and their long-term health needs. 

"As we head into a winter of known unknowns, action must be taken now to ensure that patients and nurses are not in unsafe environments. We should not be having the same conversation on Patient Safety Day 2023."