Community healthcare services have also been affected by today’s nurses strike, with 5,771 contacts with members of the public cancelled today.
These include public health nurses, HSE run clinics that operate in health centres, community hospitals and nursing units, day centres and day hospitals for the elderly, as well as day centres in specified agencies for people with disabilities.
St Joseph’s Hospital in Ennis, Regina House Kilrush, Raheen Community Hospital in Scariff and Ennistymon Community Hospital remain open, and residents will be cared for.
There will be no admissions, however, to rehabilitation, respite or step down care.
Chief Officer for Community Healthcare in the MidWest, Bernard Gloster, who is also the National Lead Contingency Negotiation For Community Healthcare, has been telling Clare FM’s Fiona Cahill, that an agreement aimed at ending the strike is urgently needed:
