MINISTER FOR HEALTH, Dr James Reilly is to address the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) at its annual conference this week.
The 94th Annual Delegate Conference of the INMO will see more than 350 nurses and midwives gather in Letterkenny tomorrow for the three-day event.
The findings of the organisation’s new ward watch initiative, as well as its long-standing trolley watch count will be raised with the Minister when he speaks at the conference on Friday.
Debate
INMO General Secretary, Liam Doran said that the conference theme of ‘Protecting the Frontline’ “aptly sums up the approach of the organisation”.
I have no doubt the conference will see very lively debate on many of the motions where we can expect members to speak, from the heart, on their experiences on the frontline as they call for safe nurse/midwife patient ratios and proper resources in all areas of our health care system.
He also said the issue of pay will also dominate the conference “as the government continues to threaten to do further harm and attack public servants’ pay for the third time”.
Croke Park
Also due to be discussed at the conference is the Croke Park 2 agreement. The INMO recently met with the LRC following the rejection of the extension to the Croke Park Agreement and indicated to it that the Croke Park 2 proposals, “having been rejected, are now redundant”.
The INMO remains committed to delivering on-going reform within the health service, as provided for under the current Croke Park Agreement and is also “prepared to engage in a substantial reform programme, which will yield payroll savings”, but said this must protect all existing pay arrangements and conditions of employment.
The organisation is currently awaiting further feedback from the Labour Relations Commission. Time will be set aside on Thursday morning when an emergency motion from its executive council will be debated
Frontline
The conference will also be dominated by discussion of what faces the INMO members on the frontline “as they strive to maintain safe care with reduced resources despite ever increasing demand for services”.
At the conference, they will call for agreed mandatory nurse/patient ratios in Ireland with a standard staffing level of one nurse to four patients in mainstream wards/units.
They will also debate a motion calling on the establishment of a review of current midwifery staffing and practice, chaired by an independent expert, with a view to establishing international best practice and standards.
Delegates will call on the HSE to address the community nurse staffing shortage .The conference will include debates on staffing levels, safe working environments, mandatory training days and calls to liaise with government to ensure equal treatment for international nurses and midwives.
On Wednesday, the conference will be addressed by Mr Ray Kinsella, Economist and Senior Lecturer, Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.
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