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The price of #housing has gone crazy. There’s little to any hope of getting a decent #rental without #rent being through the absolute roof especially in the cities that house our biggest #hospitals

The cost of living in the two years I’m gone is extortionate

I went in with treats to see my colleagues in the hospital recently - it was approx 1pm. Some staff still hadn’t had a break since 7am and they were down at least 2 HCAs and 1 nurse that shift with newly qualified and agency as primary staff #healthcareIreland

Half the staff I worked with had left (some leaving nursing altogether) and the others were planning their escape.

COVID had taken its toll but this is compounded by the fact that the service was in ruin long before COVID - it’s not an excuse

One staff member I met privately for lunch. I paid. She couldn’t afford it.
She’s been off sick yet has serious guilt over leaving her colleagues.
She tried to kill herself. She’s getting better but her eyes show someone worn down and tired.

Other friends in pre hospital services are all leaving. They too are absolutely broken.

I’ve sat with so many friends and the same statement comes up - a broken system but now with broken people. No respect. No support. #wellness

The one strong thing Ireland has is some of the best trained medics there are. These teams and sense of community or belonging is huge. We have amazing team working abilities. We’ve had to because the system doesn’t work. The people do. #wellness #appreciation #positive

But we’re losing them.

Systems don’t magically get fixed we all know that. The HSE will never be perfect. But despite scandal after scandal with public revelations of just how broken it is - over government still ignore it all.

It’s time to start fixing and stop arguing. And let’s start with the stuff on the floor. Look at what’s happened by closing Navan ED - more delays and deaths. Invest in our healthcare at local levels. Invest at floor level and not these managerial levels. Time to listen.