Sir, - There are major risk factors resulting from this unnecessary strike and the Government's handling of it.
Disillusionment with the Department of Health and our politicians will cause a further haemorrhage of nurses from an already stressed service. I have no doubt nurses will leave the profession or offer their services to countries who will value them. And who can blame them?
The Irish health service could not be considered an attractive proposition to nurses from abroad in order to fill the gap, if, as appears, this disregard for their profession is the considered policy of our Department of Health.
Any forward planning for our health services in the millennium will be a waste of time and effort, if there are no nurses to support its implementation. - Yours, etc.,
Mary O'Riain, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin