Confrontation between health board management and nurses is expected to spread to the Midland Health Board region following the announcement of ward closures there. The dispute at University College Hospital in Galway is continuing.
The plan to close up to 80 beds in hospitals at Tullamore, Co Offaly, and Mullingar, Co Westmeath, has been criticised by the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association. Announcing the closures, the board said it exceeded its planned activities and met waiting list targets, but the IHCA said it was "awfully cynical to say they had met targets when 600 children were waiting more than six months to have their tonsils out."
IHCA secretary-general Mr Finbarr Fitzpatrick said one of the worst waiting lists for hip replacements was in Tullamore, the home town of the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen. "According to figures issued by the Minister, there are 57 people waiting for 12 months or more for total hip replacements, and 340 for other elective orthopaedic procedures.
"As far as we are aware there are 140 hip replacements planned for 1998, among three orthopaedic surgeons, the equivalent of one each per week." For every one done there were up to four coming on to the list weekly.
Mr Liam Doran of the Irish Nurses' Organisation said it was deciding what action to take following the midlands announcement.