People Before Profit Councillor Shaun Harkin has said there is an urgent need to employ newly qualified nurses in the health service.
Said the Foyleside councillor: “Solidarity with newly graduated nursing staff following several gruelling years of study.
“A nursing degree is one of the hardest someone can do.
“I have spoken with trade union representatives at Altnagelvin Hospital and fully support their concerns.
“Given the state of our health service, it’s not good enough for nurses not to know if they’ll have a job.
“All nursing students should be guaranteed at least 2 years of band 5 work in the Health and Social Care Service.
“Newly qualified nurses shouldn’t be vulnerable to poor workforce planning by Trusts and overseen by the Health Department, especially at a time when there’s a desperate need to increase staffing levels.
“Safe nursing staffing levels on wards is a central and critical longstanding trade union demand. This is vital for patient safety and staff morale.
“If every newly qualified nurse was guaranteed a position, the cost for agency staff would plummet, thereby making it far more cost effective.
“This would be true even if some wards were overstaffed in the initial months.
“It would also enable time for learning and development. This is something most newly qualified nursing staff are unable to commit proper time to as they are rushed off their feet.
“Proper treatment for essential workers at the beginning of their careers is key to rebuilding the health service.
“We call upon will the Western Trust and Health Minister to immediately outline their contingency plan to support our new graduate nurses.
“We can’t afford to lose them.”
Tags: