'Serious concerns' over staffing levels at Tipperary University Hospital

Serious concerns have been raised by members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) about what they claim are “the intolerable working conditions” in which its members in the maternity unit of Tipperary University Hospital are required to work, due to critically low staffing levels.

In a letter sent to the hospital management recently, Grainne Walsh, the INMO’s Industrial Relations Executive, says that significant midwifery staffing deficits in the hospital’s maternity department are compromising the ability of its members to provide safe care to the mothers and babies attending the department.

She says that INMO members working in the maternity department of the Clonmel hospital cannot be held accountable or responsible for any adverse event that might occur, arising from the department being insufficiently staffed with midwives.

In the letter, Ms Walsh states “The INMO are also informed of vacancies in senior management roles, which again poses significant risk to the delivery of safe care to the women attending the unit. We require immediate clarification of the clinical governance structure currently in place in the maternity unit.

“The INMO are aware that registered general nurses (RGN) are currently employed within the maternity unit. We are seeking clarification of the role and responsibilities of RGNs working in the maternity unit, and the clinical governance structure for our RGN colleagues.

“Many members have large amounts of annual leave accrued. This, combined with constantly working short-staffed, is leading to unacceptable levels of stress, exhaustion and burnout for our members.

“The INMO now requests that management give a commitment that line managers will meet with each of our members to ascertain their individual annual leave accrual, and engage in an individual plan with each member to reduce it within an agreed timeframe.”

The organisation says that due to the current inadequate staffing levels and/or inappropriate skill mix, there are times when staff cannot leave the wards for breaks.

“The INMO proposes that management positively consider the payment of meal breaks where many midwives are unable to avail of their break off the ward. Our members report that they are receiving their rosters very late and this impacts on their work/life balance.

"As you are aware, staff are entitled to have their duty one month in advance, as per the Organisation of Working Time Act.

“Members also raised the issue of being contacted on their time off to fill vacancies on the roster. I wish to alert you to the right to disconnect code of practice. The INMO have been informed that in a directive issued by management last year, there was a commitment to recompensate staff 12 hours pay for conducting mandatory training in their own time.

"There was a requirement to submit certificates before December 6 2021. The certificates have been submitted; however, members have not received the renumeration due to them. This is unacceptable and these payments should be progressed without any further delay.”

The INMO says that in response, management had said it would do everything possible to recruit more midwives and retain them in the health service.

When the staffing issue was raised by Deputy Michael Lowry in the Dáil last week, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that the Government is actively recruiting people for the health service, both domestically and abroad.

“I think we have something like 130,000–135,000 people working in our health service now, which is more than ever before. We have 81,000 nurses and midwives, which would again be more than ever before.

“But this of course comes against a backdrop of a rising population, increasing medical need and a move towards shorter working hours and more part-time work.”

The Tánaiste said he did not have information in relation to Tipperary specifically, but would follow it up through his office.