A dispute has arisen between the HSE and nursing management at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick over the staffing of a surgical ward.
The HSE says a 17 bed surgical ward was closed temporarily over the weekend because of a downturn in patient numbers. It said 30 other vacant beds were available at that time.
However when the HSE authorities went to reopen the ward on Monday because of renewed demand for surgical beds, nursing management at the hospital said they did not have the necessary staff to do so.
The HSE said today there are 700 nurses employed at the hospital and is refusing to accept that it is impossible to transfer nurses from a other elective areas in order to give priority to acute patient care.
The HSE says it is satisfied the resources are in place and have given instructions to nursing management to staff the ward.
