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INMO calls for multi-annual funding for Sláintecare from Budget 2020
undermine recruitment and retention initiatives. The INMO and the ICTU have made numerous submissions to Rev- enue on its position in relation to flat rate expenses, pointing to other areas that warrant greater attention such as cor- poration tax losses. The union also warned of the threat of Brexit to nursing and midwifery recruitment and retention. “Ireland is experi- encing a significant increase in the intensity of determined recruitment of nurses and mid- wives. The current recruitment pause introduced by the HSE must be removed and must exempt nurses and midwives,” the submission states. In addition, the INMO called for an increase in the number of undergraduate nursing and midwifery places. “This coun- try must become self-reliant with regard to training and retaining Irish trained nurses and midwives in our public health service, the INMO said. “This increase must, as a min- imum, grow the number of midwives, and resources to fully implement the safe staffing framework, as agreed following the INMO strike earlier this year. INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said: “Ireland’s nurses and mid- wives are prime targets for UK health service recruiters. After Brexit, it’s likely that British hospitals will step up their efforts to draw more nursing and midwifery staff away. “Even before Brexit, the vast majority of our graduating
seeking budgetary provision for the full implementation and expansion of this model across acute, primary and long-term care. This will require invest- ment to correct the current nursing and midwifery staffing numbers. In addition the INMO said that the government must now implement a sustainable workforce strategy to ensure Ireland can rectify the current nurse and midwife staffing problems in the public health service and compete within an international labour market for healthcare professionals. The INMO called for no changes to be made to the cur- rent flat rate allowances as has been announced, which allow employees to claim back on work-related expenses such as uniforms for healthcare pro- fessionals. This change would in effect reduce the income of frontline nurses and midwives, thereby penalising them to a greater extent at a time when the pay is being restored for all public servants, and would New figures from an INMO student survey show that, as of June 2019, over 68% of nursing and midwifery students have been approached by overseas recruiters. When asked for the main factors that might keep them wo r k i ng i n I re l and , 47% pointed to staffing levels and working conditions. The INMO’s pre-Budget submission calls for fund- ing to reach safe staffing levels throughout the health service, more undergrad- uate places for nurses and
undergraduate placements and see an increase of 250 by 2020 and a further 250 by 2021.” T h e I NMO s u bm i s s i o n detailed the staffing increases needed in the areas of: • Midwives, where a shortfall of 206.7 WTE staff currently exists in Irish maternity services • Children’s nurses, with the new National Children’s Hospital alone needing an increase of a minimum of 300 nursing posts over the next two years • Public health/community health nursing, in which Sláin- tecare has identified the need to invest in a further 900 gen- eralist nurses to work in the community. The INMO submission also calls for Budget 2020 to make allowances for several taxation and societal issues, including broadening the tax threshold, Brexit, climate change and housing. The full INMO Pre-Budget Submission 2020 can be viewed at: www.inmo.ie nurses and midwives have r e c e i v e d o f f e r s t o wo r k overseas – often in better conditions. “We need to make the Irish health service an attractive place to work – that means getting staffing levels right. “The upcoming Budget is a chance to kickstart that process, by investing in safe staffing, more student places, and implementing Sláintecare. The alternative is understaffed, overstretched services, where patients suffer and staff burn out.”
Budget 2020 must prioritise the delivery of an integrated, universal health service, as envisaged in Sláintecare, the INMO stressed in its pre- Budget submission to the government last month. To do this, the government must ensure appropriate fund- ing and staffing, which in turn will ensure high quality, safe patient care. Multi-annual transitional funding must commence from Budget 2020 to support the implementation of Sláintecare, the INMO states. On nursing and midwifery staffing and pay, the INMO is calling for a commitment to a funded workforce plan for nursing and midwifery, based on patient need and depend- ency. This is recommended in the Labour Court Recom- mendation and set out in the Department of Health’s Frame- work for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix and the Maternity Strategy for adequate nursing and midwifery staff. In addition, the INMO is The UK is likely to step up its recruitment of Ireland’s nurse and midwives following Brexit, the INMO warned in its pre- budget submission. UK ho s p i t a l s cu r ren t ly recruit nurses and midwives from across the European Union, but this is likely to become more difficult as migration controls are put in place following Brexit. The Common Travel Area for Ireland and the UK means that Irish nurses and midwives will be “prime targets” for UK health recruiters.
Seven in 10 nursing/midwifery students offered overseas posts Post-Brexit recruitment drive likely to hit Ireland
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