According to The Irish Examiner, patients are facing potential healthcare disruption this Christmas after two major unions voted in favour of industrial action. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and Fórsa have signaled their intent to strike, adding additional pressure to an already strained healthcare system.
The proposed strike comes at a particularly challenging time, with the current cold snap intensifying demand on hospital services. On a single day, 11 people over 75 years old were reported waiting on trolleys for more than 24 hours across the country, highlighting the existing challenges in the healthcare system.
Healthcare workers are seeking improved working conditions and pay, but the potential strike raises significant concerns about patient care during the holiday period. The timing is especially critical, as winter typically sees increased hospital admissions due to seasonal illnesses and weather-related health issues.
Hospitals are already experiencing significant overcrowding, and the proposed strike could exacerbate these challenges. Patients and healthcare administrators are anxiously awaiting further developments in the ongoing negotiations.
The unions’ decision underscores the mounting pressures within Ireland’s healthcare system, with workers demanding better resources and working conditions amid increasingly difficult circumstances.