Whistleblower's report on staffing levels in RVH is an another example of 'promises made and not delivered'
21st August 2025
The Workers Party believes that change needs to happen but it must be positive change that benefits the patients and service users. The culture within medical staff and senior management including the department and minister needs to change.
Workers Party representative Fiona McCarthy, who works in the health service, has commented on the whistleblowers report on staffing levels at RVH, claiming nothing has really changed since those promises were made five years ago.
Ms McCarthy says: "The staffing shortage in nursing and other grades have continued to grow purely and simply because staff leave, because of burnout and being no longer able to take the stress and responsibility for providing barely minimal standards of care in corridors .
"Many feel that their professional registration were also being put at risk because of the conditions they worked under.
"The current policy of the wholesale use of the private sector may look as if the government is tackling waiting list but it is not the solution to staff shortages. Financial resources should have been used to recruit more staff into the national health and social care services to build capacity in house."
She continued: "Health service staff are already organising for industrial action over pay and staffing levels and I don’t believe the while be accepting another promise of more staff. They will be wanting detailed plans this time. Our health service staff and the patients they care for deserve much better than empty promises and continuous reports of restructuring.
"The Workers Party believes that changes need to happen but it must be positive change that benefits the patients and service users. The culture within medical staff and senior management including the department and minister needs to change.
"They need to stop pouring money into the private sector because it benefits them and suits their agendas. Our politicians need to defend the principles of the National Health Service and show loyalty to the staff who despite their low morale show up every day and go above and beyond what is required of them. Can our politicians say the same?"
