The early vaccine roll-out was haphazard and not focused on areas with the highest infection rates, the Irish Nurses and Midwives’ Organisation has said.
The body is to let their feelings known to Government today.
General Secretary of the INMO Phil Ní Sheaghdha will warn TDs and Senators that many nurses on Covid-19 wards and in ICU have yet to receive their first vaccine.
She will warn TDs and Senators that many nurses on Covid-19 wards and in ICU have yet to receive their first vaccine.
“The roll-out commenced in a haphazard manner, not focused on the locations or workplaces with the highest infections or geographically bordering areas with high community infection,” she said.
“Put simply, the vaccines’ initial distribution seemed to be based on the HSE’s administrative areas, rather than by where the virus was most prevalent,” she said.
An IT system to track the vaccine roll-out was not fully operational last week. However, Ms Ní Sheaghdha understands that it should be completed this week.
The committee will also be told that there is an urgent need to address the recruitment and retention of hospital consultants.
The INMO will join the Irish Medical Organisation and Irish Hospital Consultants’ Association at the Oireachtas Health Committee today.
All three will warn that staff shortages, prior to Covid, have meant that many healthcare workers are now dealing with heavy workloads, leading to stress and fatigue, which is affecting their overall mental health.
Ms Ní Sheaghdha will call for additional compensation for her members to acknowledge their work during the pandemic.
