THE TRADE union Impact has said hundreds of patients have been added to waiting lists for social work and therapy services as a result of the controversial recruitment restrictions put in place by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Impact said services at Tallaght hospital in Dublin had been particularly hit as a result of the employment controls introduced to allow hospitals and health agencies to live within their allocation.
About 28,000 Impact members in the health sector will today begin a campaign of industrial action in protest at recruitment restrictions in the HSE.
In an internal report, seen by The Irish Times, Impact maintains that in Tallaght hospital, for example, there are now 380 patients with kidney disorders waiting for a consultation with a specialist dietician.
It says that the renal dialysis dietician has been deployed to cover in-patient services where a post had been vacant since October.
It says that as a result, out-patient services for end-stage kidney disease/low clearance patients have been cancelled.
Impact also maintained that there are now 300 patients with diabetes waiting to see a specialist in nutrition and dietetics.
"Priority [has] been given to cover in-patients, hence the following diabetic day centre cuts: insulin pump clinic cancelled; type 1 diabetes clinics cancelled; type 2 diabetes clinics cancelled; young adult clinic - no cover," it says.
The Impact document also states that no new patients can be commenced on insulin pump therapy without diatetic input.
Impact also says that in the social work area at Tallaght there is now a 12-month waiting list building up in neurology. It says 50 per cent of the social work service in the Tallaght oncology department has been withdrawn "with major impact on psychosocial support to patients and families and impact on care planning".
The Impact report says four physiotherapy posts have been vacant since last year at Tallaght. It says that pulmonary rehabilitation programme for patients with respiratory problems has been cancelled as a result, and that nine hours of out-patient slots for children have been removed to allow for in-patients to be prioritised.
Tallaght hospital said there have been recruitment restrictions in place over recent months as it was significantly over its approved staffing levels and facing a budget deficit. "As a result, vacancies that arose were not replaced and this has impacted on services in certain areas. The hospital is, however, now replacing some staff in key areas in order to improve the service in the affected areas and minimise the impact on patients," it said.
As part of the industrial action staff, including personnel in administrative and managerial posts as well as those in therapy and social care grades, will refuse to cover any position left vacant as a result of the employment restrictions.
Impact said its members would also stop co-operation with HSE advisers, block non-emergency overtime, out-of-hours work and halt co-operation with the HSE's ongoing transformation programme.
However, Impact national secretary Kevin Callinan said at this stage the union would not be engaging in work stoppages.
The union is to organise a protest for all its health sector members on Wednesday, June 11th.