Tag Archives: Mary Fogarty

CLARE patients are facing inordinate waiting times for public hospital treatment as 97 patients are without a bed in University Hospital Limerick on Tuesday, the highest number recorded in any Irish hospital since records began. The INMO has once again called on the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) to investigate the overcrowding issue at the hospital. Mary Fogarty, INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations said the current trolley numbers in University Hospital Limerick are extremely concerning. “Time and time again, University Hospital Limerick is the most overcrowded hospital in Ireland. “Despite major investment in capacity at the hospital, it is making no dent in the consistent overcrowding problem in the hospital. Overcrowding adds stress for staff and worsens patient care. It is high-risk in normal times, but even more so during a pandemic.” “The INMO is once again calling on HIQA to urgently investigate the overcrowding issue in the hospital and make recommendations. “The patients and nurses at University …

SOME patient-facing health care workers employed in the UL Hospitals’ Group still haven’t received the first dose of the vaccine against Covid-19 earlier this week. That’s according to assistant director of industrial relations, Mary Fogarty, who told The Clare Champion some health care staff are pleading with their managers to get the vaccine. “This is a huge priority issue to protect people. It is a matter of concern for our members that they have not been prioritised and other employees have received the vaccine who are not patient-facing.” She said there is now a HSE portal that should be able to prioritise patient-facing employees. In a recent memo to public representatives, group chief executive officer, Professor Colette Cowan stated the group continue to issue as much vaccine as possible, in line with national guidance and based on availability of vaccines and clinical prioritisation. “The group recognise the anxiety experienced by unvaccinated staff during the current surge in Covid-19 activity, and …

A NURSING union has made a written request to a local hospital group to ensure a respirator face mask (FFP2) is provided to any nurse or health care worker who deems it essential for their own health and safety. This coincides with new guidance from the national HSE concerning the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which has been the source of a dispute between the INMO and the UL Hospitals’ Group. According to the INMO, frontline hospital staff in Limerick, Ennis, Nenagh, and Croom have been told they could face disciplinary action if they upgrade to a safer standard of face mask following a recent memo. However, this was disputed by the UL Hospitals’ Group, who stated nothing in the memo restricts staff from wearing FFP2 face masks where appropriate and in line with national infection prevention and control guidelines. It has also emerged the number of health care staff off on Covid-19-related leave in the group has fallen …

NURSES in the Mid-West could face disciplinary action if they decide to use a safer standard of face mask, a nursing union has claimed. According to the INMO, frontline hospital staff in Limerick, Ennis, Nenagh, and Croom have been told they could face disciplinary action if they upgrade to using a safer standard of face mask. However, this has been disputed by the UL Hospitals’ Group, who stated nothing in the memo restricts staff from wearing FFP2 face masks where appropriate and in line with national infection prevention and control guidelines. It has also emerged the number of health care staff off on Covid-19-related leave increased to 602 on Wednesday last. This figure is subject to change and may increase or decrease later in the week. It includes staff who have tested positive for Covid-19 either through the workplace or community transmission, close contacts of positive cases and staff who are showing symptoms and are staying off work in line …

INMO members at University Hospital Limerick have commenced a ballot for industrial action this Wednesday over the refusal of hospital management to attend talks at the Workplace Relations Commission. The INMO represents over 1,000 nurses on site who are frustrated at the approach to date by management to resolving the persistent high nurse vacancy rates and other related issues. Among nurses’ concerns are the risks to patients, overcrowding in a Covid-19 environment and excessive workloads arising due to unfilled funded nursing posts in wards, emergency department and theatres. To date management have declined to provide the INMO with the vacancy rate. Mary Fogarty INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations said: “It is imperative that these vacancies are filled prior to the opening of 96 much needed additional beds on site. However many of the wards also have historical low staffing levels and need additional nurses to cope with the demands of the Covid-19 environment. “Nurses at UHL are exhausted after …

    NURSES in Clare and throughout the Mid-West have overwhelmingly supported a national ballot for industrial action. The result of the ballot coincides with the revelation there are up to 60 nursing vacancies in University Hospital Limerick (UHL), which continues to struggle with overcrowding as INMO figures recorded 56 patients on trolleys on Tuesday, December 18. According to INMO industrial relations officer, Mary Fogarty, this doesn’t include ward nursing posts that were not funded since reconfiguration removed 24-hour casualty cover from Ennis and Nenagh Hospitals in April 2009. Ms Fogarty said eight beds were closed in St Camillus Hospital, Limerick and about ten funded beds in St Joseph’s Geriatric Hospital, Ennis. The union official pointed out if there was an examination about what St Joseph’s really required, this figure would be much higher. Asked if industrial action in the new year would made chronic overcrowding even worse, she stressed nurses were left with no other option. She said the …

Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) in St Camillus Hospital, Limerick commenced a work to rule this morning. The industrial action comes some seven months on from notification by nurses to senior HSE managers that the clinical care of patients at the hospital is compromised due to ongoing unfilled nursing positions. Currently there are approximately 15 vacant nursing posts. The INMO, at the request of its members, has engaged with the HSE since last November in efforts to fast-track recruitment of nurses. So far this has not yielded sufficient numbers of qualified nurses and leaves the residents at ongoing risk. Calls by members for the HSE to curtail admissions to the 100 bed facility until such time as the nursing levels improve have also been rejected. Therefore, it is with regret that INMO members are left with no other option but to commence industrial action. The action will not harm any patient but will assist the available …

UP to 1,200 nurses in the Mid-West look set to approve industrial action early in the new year over “unsafe” plans to provide more than 100 extra beds in corridors and unsuitable rooms at Ennis Hospital and other local acute hospitals without extra staffing. Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives’ Organisation (INMO) and SIPTU will ballot for industrial action during the first week of January over a new HSE escalation plan, which is designed to tackle chronic overcrowding in the emergency department (ED) at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). The general consensus indicates this ballot for industrial action will be approved by a large majority, paving the way for a work-to-rule as a starting point possibly during the third or fourth week of January. INMO representative, Mary Fogarty has demanded to know who sanctioned the reconfiguration of acute hospitals services in the Mid-West, which involved the closure of 24-hour emergency services in Ennis without putting the required additional resources into …