Appeal to all sides in Galway hospital row to resume talks

The Western Health Board has appealed to all sides in the Galway hospital dispute to reopen negotiations.

Labour Relations Commission talks aimed at resolving the impasse at University College Hospital Galway broke down on Wednesday after six hours of discussion involving the health board, the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) and SIPTU.

Union representatives expressed bitterness and disappointment at the collapse, and said that the health board had no intention of making any settlement.

The LRC talks had been "a backward step", the INO said.

Dr Sheelah Ryan, the health board's chief executive officer, has appealed to all sides to continue discussions with a view to the future.

However, the board's hands are tied by the new accountability legislation which obliges it to remain within its budget. The Minister for Health has also refused to intervene in the dispute.

Mr Michael Kilcoyne of SIPTU said yesterday that his union was always available for talks, but if the issue was the closure of two wards and the theatre, and lay-offs of staff, the union's position had not changed.

"We are prepared to talk about cost savings, but we are not prepared to talk about closure of wards. We also want to see the reopening of the theatre," he said.

He blamed the health board for its mishandling of the situation. "It gave people two days' notice, including 45 temporary nurses." he said.

His members would lie down in the wards if any attempt was made by hospital management to effect closures.

The INO has instructed its 400-plus members to work-to-rule by refusing to answer telephones in wards or carry out any reception-type duties.

When the cuts were first proposed for early November, the Western Health Board hoped to save £300,000, given that UCHG was expected to exceed its budget by £1.9 million, by the end of this year. Under the Health Amendment Act, health boards must remain within budget.

Already 10 of the 45 temporary nurses threatened with job losses have been signed up by other hospitals.

Local fund-raising efforts to keep at least some of the services going until the end of the year have received a disappointing response, according to the Community Hospital Alliance, which supported the initiative.

An account opened by the Hospital Community Health Response Group, chaired by a consultant, Mr Jack McCann, has received a four-figure sum in contributions, but has not reached its target of £200,000.

Mr McCann had offered to work for half his salary until Christmas or to make a once-off donation or loan to the Western Health Board, to keep services going.