Waterford nurses to halt work over staffing

Nurses at Waterford Regional Hospital to begin industrial action today in their dispute with the South Eastern Health Board over staffing levels.

The nurses will hold a protest for an hour at lunchtime, followed by a work-to-rule. They will refuse to perform any non-nursing duties, including clerical, administration and portering tasks.

However, Irish Nurses Organisation spokesman Mr Tony Fitzpatrick insisted patient care would not be affected. He said the union would continue the work-to-rule for seven days before holding a review to decide whether or not to escalate their action.

"This could lead to a complete withdrawal of labour," he said.

The dispute centres on the numbers of staff at the hospital. "The disparity between what we believe is needed to staff the hospital and what management believe is about 2.5 nurses," Mr Fitzptrick said.

However, he said the SEHB told the INO two weeks ago that they had received no funding to provide the necessary additional staffing.

The nurses had intended to begin their action last Thursday but were forced to defer it because of bomb alert at the hospital.

The INO had orginally threatened industrial action last October but suspended it in anticipation of funding becoming available in the SEHB's service plan for 2003.