Siptu officials told politicians this morning that four cancer treatment machines that could treat around 30 patients a day are out of use.
They said this means “there may be as many as 120 cancer cases not being dealt with daily due to staffing deficits”.
The union told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health that there is a 30pc shortage of radiation therapists, which has led to increased delays in cancer treatments.
Siptu and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said a current HSE cap on staffing levels and the aftermath of a ban on hiring had led to staff deficits, as they prepare to ballot members on industrial action on the issue.
Lunchtime protests are planned at hospitals in Dublin and Cork this week.
The protests will begin on Thursday at Cork University Hospital and HSE headquarters at Dr Steevens’ Hospital in Dublin in response to the staffing dispute with the HSE and Department of Health.
“This staffing crisis has led to at least four cancer treatment machines not being utilised,” Damian Ginley, from Siptu’s health division, told the committee.
He said every department should have an established framework for safe staffing levels to meet the requirements expected of them.
Mr Ginley said members do not feel any relief due to increases in national health sector budgets.
In the last 18 months, he said just 19 full-time roles have been recruited out of 10,208 support staff.
He said the number of healthcare assistants has fallen by 84 in the same timeframe despite growing demand for their services.
“Siptu is not disputing the increased numbers in employment within the HSE,” he said.
“We do however, believe that some grades have benefitted to a greater extent than other grades which also provide vital services to communities.”
The union claimed an increased use of agency staff and contractors to provide essential health services presents a risk to the State.
Phil Ní Sheaghdha, general secretary of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, said there are waiting lists for chemotherapy in some areas.
She said over 2,000 nursing and midwifery posts that had been vacant have been effectively abolished due to the ban on hiring.
“While we acknowledge that there have been increases in the workforce, this must be considered in the context of an increasing use of our public health services due to increased population and an aging population with significant healthcare needs,” she said.
She said it is time to commit to a funded multi-annual workforce plan and growing the nursing and midwifery workforce by a minimum of 2,000 full time roles each year for three years.
The nursing union leaders called for the passing of a Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill to give the Health Information and Quality Authority powers of enforcement in relation to safe staffing levels.
“It would be remiss of us here today not to acknowledge the publication of former Justice Clarke’s report into University Hospital Limerick, and his findings on the impacts that unsafe staffing can have in our emergency departments,” she said. “Our thoughts are with Aoife Johnston’s parents, her sister and all who loved her. Our thoughts are also with those who were on duty that weekend with inadequate staffing while working in impossible conditions within which they tried to deliver care.”
A HSE spokesperson said it prioritises its patients and “ensures they receive the best care possible”.
She said all “time dependent category one patients” are prioritised and usually start treatment within two weeks. She said all patients receive treatment within the “clinically appropriate” timeframes.
The spokesperson said a shortage of radiation therapists is an ongoing issue nationally and internationally, with the vacancy factor running at around 25pc.
She said a derogation for the recruitment of radiation therapist and medical physicist staff nationally has been approved by the CEO of the HSE.
The spokesperson said in some cases, additional overtime arrangements are in place in each local radiotherapy centre to treat additional patients and reduce their waiting times.
She said there is a high level equipment replacement program in place and incentivised overtime schemes and outsourcing arrangements to facilitate patient access to treatment within the designated timeframes.
The spokesperson said new radiation oncology centres were opened in Cork, in 2019 and in Galway in 2023.
“The use of older machines, particularly in the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network, where some machines are more than 12 years old, increases the requirement for machine down time,” she added.
“To address these challenges, the phase two development of radiation oncology at Beaumont Hospitals is an urgent priority. The recent approval to commence equipment replacement in the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network in 2024 will also help.”
