Health service unions in the Midwest are to ballot their members for industrial action following the breakdown of talks with the Health Service Executive (HSE) over the ending of 24-hour A&E services at Ennis and Nenagh hospitals.
Nursing staff have also said they will refuse to cooperate with the new changes which are due to be introduced on Monday.
Members of the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) and Siptu met in Limerick last night to consider their response to the failure with the HSE under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission earlier this week.
At the meeting, union members agreed to report for duty as normal next week but said they will not cooperate with rosters or clinical protocols associated with the changes.
Health service unions have expressed concern over the HSE’s plans to end round-the clock services at the two hospitals. The unions claim the executive has not given enough time to comprehensively address patient safety issues and staffing levels raised and that it has failed to produce written proposals and finalise protocols on the changes.
The INO is also seeking compensation for income that nurses in both hospitals will lose from their night duty allowances once the changes are introduced.
Under the changes the A&E units in Ennis and Nenagh will cease to provide 24-hour services from Monday.
Instead they will be open from 8am to 8pm and emergencies outside those hours will be dealt with at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.
Over 3,000 people demonstrated over the HSE’s plans in Ennis on Saturday. Local GPs are also opposed to the changes.
Earlier this week the chairman of the Clare branch of the Irish College of General Practitioners, Dr Michael Harty, said the HSE's proposal “is neither safe or sensible”.
However, despite the opposition, the HSE confirmed yesterday that it intends to proceed with the plans next week.
