Health service unions have condemned a move by Sligo General Hospital to discontinue staff contracts two weeks after a series of cutbacks was introduced by the HSE in an attempt to reduce a €245 million financial deficit.
James Reilly
The temporary contracts of 30 nurses and four consultants in surgical and obstetric posts will not be renewed, the HSE West confirmed today.
In a statement, the HSE West said nursing numbers in Sligo have increased in recent years. "This measure is designed to bring the hospital's approved nursing staff numbers and funding position back into line," it said.
It also said the decision not to renew the contracts of four temporary consultants would have been anticipated. "These temporary posts were put in place for specific reasons and it was never intended that they would become permanent."
The HSE said the hospital has been providing services above targeted levels for 2007 in areas such as elective surgery.
The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has written to HSE chief executive Professor Drumm and management in Sligo General Hospital calling for the decision to be reversed.
IMO President, Dr Paula Gilvarry described the move as "completely unacceptable" and said it would cause outpatient appointments and clinics to be cancelled and longer waiting lists for patients."
"Delays will be exacerbated further because of the need to arrange the transfer of patients under the care of the three surgeons and one obstetrician directly affected by this decision," she added.
The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) is seeking "an urgent meeting" with senior management to discuss the matter. INO industrial relations officer Maura Hickey said the measures "will result in bed closures, curtailment of services and ultimately the patient will suffer."
Fine Gael's health spokesman James Reilly said: "The HSE must be obliged to appropriately manage its finances but balancing its books should not come at the expense of blanket-style cutbacks which will ultimately hurt patients."
Labour's health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan repeated her call for an immediate lifting of the recruitment ban. "The effect of this recruitment ban is becoming more serious day by day in hospitals and A&E departments right around the country and it is the patients and staff who are suffering most from this recruitment freeze," she said.