The escalation of rolling work stoppages by more than 40,000 nurses and midwives is adding further to suffering and distress of hospital patients, the Health Service Executive (HSE) said tonight.
Industrial action by two nurses unions has deferred around 70 surgical procedures and caused delays in outpatients clinics, according to the HSE.
As 1,000 nurses and midwives staged one-hour work protests outside six medical facilities across the State, final contingency plans were also being made for a another series of walkouts tomorrow.
Services in St James' Hospital and St Patrick's Psychiatric Hospital, Dublin, Portlaoise General Hospital and Laois/Offaly Mental Health Services, and Ennis General Hospital and Clare Mental Health Services, are expected to be affected by the stoppages from 11am to noon.
However, the HSE raised serious concerns about the nationwide work to rule, especially with nurses maintaining patient records manually, fearing there was a real risk that in some cases crucial patient data may be lost.
The action is part of the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) and Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) claims for a 10.5 per cent pay increase and a 35-hour working week. "This is about more than one-hour stoppages" said Mr Gerry O'Dwyer of the National Hospitals Office.
"The so-called work to rule is having a much more insidious effect and patients' care is being compromised by the interruptions to the normal flow of service."
The HSE said hospital management were attempting to minimise the impact on patient care through good contingency planning but, unfortunately, the cancellation of some procedures has proven necessary in some locations.
After three work stoppage days, it recorded approximately 70 deferred procedures, with outpatient clinics and some hospital theatres behind schedule.
It also said refusals by staff to use patient prioritisation systems in Emergency Departments, to enter clinical data onto automated systems in Intensive Care Units, Cardiac Care Units and Dialysis Units, to take calls from concerned family members, and to take calls regarding surgery or tests were causing significant delays.
"There are clear avenues and official channels for the nursing unions to pursue their claims and the HSE is willing to engage meaningfully through those mechanisms," continued Mr O'Dwyer. "This ongoing industrial action is only bringing misery and disruption to patients."
Over 400 nurses picketed outside Sligo General Hospital today, while 300 protested at Cork and 250 demonstrated in Louth. All three entrances of the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire were also being targeted tonight, as Health Minister Mary Harney unveiled a treadmill. "We are very happy with the turn out today," said an INO spokeswoman.
Meanwhile, the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) - which withdrew from consultant contract talks yesterday in protest at a decision by Ms Harney to begin recruiting 50 new consultants - denied suggestions they pulled out over money.
ICHA members today raised concerns at the consultant's right in the contract to advocate on behalf of his or her patients.
But the HSE hit back tonight and said claims regarding a so-called "gagging clause" in the proposed new contract was a myth and confused with a confidentiality clause in the contract which obliges consultants, in common with other health service personnel, to ensure that any information they have access to, regarding a patient's medical condition or personal affairs, are safeguarded and never divulged publicly.
"On the question of advocacy, it is recognised that consultants will always be advocates for their patients," said Gerard Barry of the HSE.