Health services race to the bottom will hit patient care
Sir, I refer to the latest HSE cutback proposals which include the downgrading and down-skilling of staffing within the health service, with plans for the widespread replacement of nursing posts with support staff.
In the latest effort to save €80m, the Government is backing plans to ‘yellow pack’ the health service with the cheapest and most poorly skilled staff that they can employ.
Instead of improving the services by employing the most qualified, competent, best trained and experienced staff to manage front line services, the least qualified, poorly trained staff are being employed on front line services in what has become is a race to the bottom.
In this shocking attempt to save money, patient care and quality of service would be seriously compromised by the widespread replacement of nursing posts with care assistants. In the view of Health Minister James Reilly and the HSE, what tales four years training to graduate level by a registered nurse can now be done with little over four weeks training by a care assistant. Does anyone really believe this could be possible?. The proposals include: Further reductions in nursing numbers through non-replacement under the embargo.
Reduction in existing skill mix arrangements, particularly in older persons, disability services, and mental health which would reduce the number of professional staff replacing them with inexperienced and lower skilled staff.
Substitution of experienced/ trained support staff, again with inexperienced support staff under the support staff intern programme, i.e. new support staff on 85% pay.
Replacing nursing vacancies, in the community, with newly graduated nurses contrary to best practice where new health professional graduates require peer support and mentorship before working on their own.
Research has constantly shown that the public prefer to be greeted, treated and cared for by registered nurses when in hospital or undergoing medical treatment or procedures. Research has further shown that the more and better trained/ qualified nurses that staff any area of the health service the better outcomes for patients.This includes earlier recovery and discharge home, less risk of complications including pneumonia, urinary tract infections, dehydration, deep venous thrombosis, bed sores etc, and less probability of relapse and readmission back into hospital for the same condition.
Given that nurses are the backbone of the health service, this latest attempt at down-skilling of staff within the health service will not enjoy widespread public support and will result in the front line services becoming a more dangerous and scary experience from many members of the public.There can be little doubt that low skill staffing will lead directly to higher ratio death rates within front line health service going forward. Sincerely, Cormac Williams, Branch Organiser, Psychiatric Nurses’ Association, Kerry.