Thirty-three nurses in Letterkenny General Hospital will not have their contracts renewed when they run out. The decision came following a meeting between staff and hospital management today.
Most of those who will be impacted are recently qualified general nurses, according to a spokesman for the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO).
"These nurses, if they're let go, may result in the Health Service Executive (HSE) not having the capacity to provide a safe level of service in the wards that they operate in," the spokesman said.
There are approximately 600 nurses working in Letterkenny General Hospital. The INO claim these cutbacks are the equivalent of a closure of a ward. They hope to enter into negotiations with the HSE in an effort to provide alternative work for the nurses.
In a statement this afternoon, the HSE said "waiting lists are continuing to reduce. However in a number of services we are continuing to see more patients than we are funded to treat. This is unsustainable in the current economic climate. We have been clearly told that no additional funding would be available for Letterkenny General Hospital this year and we are, therefore, obliged to maintain staffing levels within the funded allocation".
Details on staff whose contracts will not be renewed have been provided to community care services for priority consideration should vacancies arise, hospital management said.