More Health Care Assistants needed to alleviate hospital crisis
An increase in the number of Health Care Assistants would help alleviate the worsening staff shortages and overcrowding crisis in hospitals across the country, according to the SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell.
“SIPTU has repeatedly called for the immediate deployment of Health Care Assistants to alleviate the pressure on nursing staff in hospitals”, said Bell.
“To this end, SIPTU has requested that the HSE creates 800 new Health Care Assistant positions. Such a move would reduce the staff to patient ratio in our hospitals and the exorbitant costs of hiring temporary agency staff, which is running in excess of €27 million for this year alone.
“The Minister for Health, Leo Vardakar, and HSE officials need to immediately commence a dialogue on increasing the number and roles of Health Care Assistants with the union which represents these workers.”
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