For the patient, it is the level of personal care they receive from healthcare assistants to medical consultants that matters most. The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says nurses and midwives are seeking to secure safe staffing levels in the health service. It means we have 40 per cent fewer hospital consultants than the OECD average and 20 per cent of posts lying empty. Yes, infrastructure is important in a revitalised health service but without high-calibre staff the new hospital risks becoming an empty white elephant. They, in turn, will help create the fundamental culture change needed to detoxify our health service.

Source: The Irish Times February 07, 2019 01:18 UTC