Public health nurses are to withdraw from administrative duties in a dispute over the childhood immunisation scheme. The nurses want the scheme's "unsatisfactory" arrangement reviewed immediately.
Mr Liam Doran, of the Irish Nurses' Organisation, said nurses voted four to one for the action, due to begin on April 6th.
Mr Doran said an embargo on all work in the new immunisation programme will also remain indefinitely, "to force the health board to apply pressure upon the Department of Health" to review of the "unsatisfactory childhood immunisation programme".
Public health nurses, want to have an active role in childhood immunisation, not just in health promotion. "We want them to be engaged in facilitating the maximum levels of take up by all children in both the rural and urban settings," he said.
Under terms of the scheme, the GP is the sole provider of immunisation. "This was announced without any consultation or involvement whatsoever of public health nurses and the INO."
He called on the Department of Health to engaged in "meaningful discussions on this important public health issue".
