Health Unions Demand Review of HSE Staffing Amid 6,000 Vacancies

Health unions have initiated a formal review of the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) staffing arrangements, citing the alarming figure of 6,000 vacancies across the healthcare service. This action follows a clause in the agreement reached in March 2025, which aimed to address staffing shortages and improve working conditions. The unions plan to meet with HSE representatives at the Workplace Relations Commission next Friday to discuss the matter.

The agreement that led to this review was established to avert planned industrial action by five unions representing approximately 80,000 staff in the healthcare sector. It included commitments from the HSE to reduce reliance on agency workers, expedite the filling of vacancies, and ensure that maternity leave is adequately covered. Notably, these efforts were to be executed without additional financial investment from the HSE.

Despite these commitments, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has expressed concern over the continued lack of coverage for maternity leaves. INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha stated that the HSE is failing to uphold the agreement by imposing significant restrictions on recruitment across various health regions.

In the Midwest region alone, there are over 124 whole-time equivalent nursing and midwifery positions unfilled due to maternity leave, with only six of these positions backfilled. “This is truly shocking and dangerous for patient safety,” Ní Sheaghdha emphasized. So far in 2025, the HSE has only added 469 nursing and midwifery posts, a stark contrast to the average annual growth of 1,800 WTEs seen over the past five years.

The INMO insists that safe staffing levels, as established by independent assessments, are not being met, endangering both patients and healthcare workers. In response to this pressing situation, the unions have activated a clause in their agreement that allows for an early review if they believe the HSE is not fulfilling its commitments.

When the agreement was signed in March, HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster highlighted the significance of the unions’ acceptance of a staff number ceiling as part of the budgetary process. He noted that the organization’s workforce had expanded by more than 20 percent in the previous five years, and the ceiling would remain unchanged for the current year.

The INMO is now calling for the HSE to honour the commitments made in the agreement fully. As discussions at the Workplace Relations Commission approach, the focus will remain on ensuring adequate staffing levels and addressing the urgent need for improvement within the healthcare system. The HSE has been approached for comment regarding these developments.