HSE bids to get nurses

THE national shortage of nurses is hitting the HSE’s ability to recruit and retain nurses for two local hospitals catering for the elderly, Deputy Fergus O’Dowd has been told.

The Fine Gael TD had tabled a parliamentary question asking the Minister for Health what action he would take to address the staff vacancies in both the Cottage Hospital, Drogheda and St. Olivers in Dundalk that are currently affecting the number of beds available for use in both facilities.

In response, Deputy O’Dowd received a letter from Dermot Monahan, Area Manager, Louth Meath, HSE Dublin/North East stating that he could ‘confirm that all posts submitted have been approved and have been offered to nurses on a national panel which has been formed by a rolling recruitment campaign by the National Recruitment Service. ‘THERE is also a local recruitment process underway in order to recruit nurses to open nine beds in the Cottage Hospital, Drogheda and in St Oliver’s Community Unit, Dundalk as soon as is possible. There is a national shortage of nurses which is impacting greatly on recruitment and retention of nurses in the Service for Older People, but local management continue to make every effort to recruit to fill these posts and admit patients to all vacant beds as soon as possible.’

Concerns have been raised over the availability of beds at the two hospitals which had both seen the closure of nine beds due to lack of staff.