INMO vote for industrial action at St Mary’s Drumcar

Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation at St John of God North East Services, St Mary’s, Drumcar, have voted by 99% in favour of industrial action due to budget cuts and a reduction in staffing levels. The INMO intends to serve notice of industrial action this week.

The Organisation has written to HSE Director General, Tony O’Brien seeking an investigation as to why the HSE Service Improvement Team has sought a reduction in staffing and skill mix at the same time as the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has stated that insufficient staffing levels are having a negative effect on residents within the service, which provides residential and day care for people with disabilities.

The INMO is gravely concerned at the recent HIQA report. Budgets have been cut consistently over the last 5 years and staffing levels reduced to unsustainable levels. Despite a negative HIQA report, management at St John of God Services have written to the INMO in recent weeks indicating their wish to:

1. Further reduce staffing and skill mix within the service;
2. Introduce a cost containment plan as they have overspent by two million euro to the end of May 2015; and,
3. Have non registered staff administer medication instead of the Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disability (RNID).

Speaking about the matter, INMO Industrial Relations Officer, Tony Fitzpatrick said: “The problems currently highlighted within these two centres are widespread especially with regard to inadequate staffing. However nurses, and other frontline staff, go to work every day and, to the best of their ability, use their uniquely acquired skills to provide good quality care and service to their clients.

“They come in on days off, work late, work through their shift without lunch or breaks, while always striving to deliver maximum comfort and quality of life to those in their care. They do this in the face of dwindling resources and extra demands but they do their job with compassion and professionalism which is at the core of disability nursing.”

The INMO and other unions have attempted to engage with management to address concerns over the last 6 months in order to develop workable solutions to ensure the provision of quality care to service users. They are awaiting a date for a meeting further to requests for same.

Mr Fitzpatrick concluded:  “The INMO is gravely concerned at what appears to be an attempt by St John of God Services to de-professionalise the provision of services to people with intellectual disability.  Our members have indicated that they will stand up for the rights of the clients within the services to receive the best possible care.

“We have highlighted our concerns around the Services’ attitude to the role of the Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disability (RNID). We believe any dilution of the RNID role results in a diminution of services to clients.”