CHIEF EXECUTIVE of Our Lady’s Hospice, Harold’s Cross, Dublin, Mo Flynn, has expressed her “deepest concern” at the behaviour of some of Ictu’s affiliated unions during last week’s public service strike. She has asked union members to take a different approach at this Thursday’s possible strike.
Ms Flynn, in a letter to Ictu general secretary David Begg, said it was a sad state of affairs that trade unions, which professed to assist the weak and the vulnerable, should cause such distress to the families of seriously ill people who were cared for in the hospice.
She said that she wanted to make it clear that her criticisms were of the unions and not of any of the hospice staff.
“The hospice is extraordinarily lucky to have an extremely dedicated staff who did their utmost to provide optimum care for patients during the industrial action,” said Ms Flynn.
She added that it was the hospice’s belief that a national agreement had been reached to protect palliative care of the elderly services during the action.
“Regrettably, members of the Impact and Siptu unions impeded access to our care facilities, and their industrial action led to the closure of our community reablement, pharmacy and therapy services, as well as seriously curtailing our ability to care for our remaining patients,” she said.
“We were forced to discharge some older and disabled people to their homes.”
Ms Fox said the official picket had failed to acknowledge the impact on the relatives of four patients who had died in the hospice’s care.
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