In a strongly-worded open letter, the Irish Patients Association has today called on unions in the health service to avoid hurting patients during their industrial action.
The letter noted the fatal consequences of previous union activity: Following the death of a patient the family noted that the staff were more interested and focused on putting up notices for a lunch time protest rather than listening to their calls for urgent attention as their family members’ health chronically deteriorated.
The letter goes on to say that union protests cause “chaos for individual patients” and calls for a “balanced solution” to the problems in the health service.
The letter was sent to leaders of IMPACT, T.E.E.U, C.P.S.U, S.I.P.T.U, and I.C.T.U.