Hospital Crisis requires immediate Government response
Labour Leader Ivana Bacik TD has today at Leaders Questions raised the escalating crisis gripping hospitals nationwide.
Deputy Bacik said
“With hospital overcrowding conditions reaching dangerous levels in so many hospitals across the country, and patients reporting lengthy waits at Limerick, Tallaght, Vincents, and other hospitals, urgent action is imperative. Healthcare workers, who provide such an essential, even heroic, service to our country, also deserve to have better working conditions.
“The Government’s response so far has been woefully inadequate. Mere acknowledgements that it is ‘desirable’ to tackle overcrowding and understaffing are not enough. We need concrete action and the introduction of decisive measures to alleviate the burden on our healthcare workers and ensure the safety and well-being of patients.
“It is outrageous that the HSE apparently cannot even guarantee workers on a career break their return to roles, due to the recruitment freeze. This uncertainty is unacceptable and adds further strain to an already overstretched healthcare system.
“The HSE must end the recruitment freeze immediately and provide assurances to workers on career breaks that their positions will be safeguarded. We cannot afford to lose valuable healthcare professionals at a time when their services are most needed. It is time for the government to step up and take this crisis seriously, time for decisive action to resolve staff shortages. The government needs to take this seriously and end the recruitment freeze in the HSE today.”