INMO general Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha has warned that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to fill nursing and midwifery rosters due to the number of staff on Covid related leave at the moment.
Figures from the HSE show that over 7% of nurses are unable to work due to Covid related reasons.
The HSE have called for non-emergency care to be curtailed for two weeks, however the INMO say non-urgent activity should not resume until the start of February.
They are also calling on the HSE to provide air filtration units such as HEPA filters for use in areas such as Emergency Departments.
Trolley Watch figures show there are 22 patients without a bed at CUH, 18 at the Mercy and seven at Bantry General today.
Nationally the number of people without a hospital bed is 353, which is a 100% increase on the same day last year.
