Surgeries cancelled due to health strike

The HSE has warned there will be a “significant impact” on hospital services today due to a strike by up to 10,000 healthcare workers.

Porters, catering staff, security staff and healthcare assistants are among those on the picket line today for 24 hours, with a large number of surgeries being cancelled and delays expected.

The services most impacted will include deferral of some elective inpatient procedures, significant cancellation of scope procedures, reduced outpatient services, reduced laboratory services for GPs, reduced catering services for both patients and staff and reduced operating theatre activity.

While A&E services are operating as normal, the HSE has warned that services impacted will vary across the different hospitals.

The strike will affect all major hospitals in Cork city and county, including Cork University Hospital/Cork University Maternity Hospital, Mallow General Hospital, South Infirmary Hospital and Mercy University Hospital.

The strike centres on a dispute between SIPTU and the health service over pay increases, which the union claims workers are entitled to after a job evaluation scheme.

Strikes were originally scheduled to take place last Thursday, but were postponed to allow for further negotiations at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). However, talks this week ended without an agreement. A further three days of strike action are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday next week.