From no jobs to thousands of vacancies - nurses fear unfilled positions having major impact

Nurses have marched on Stormont amid concerns about vacant positions and cuts to training places. 

They said the health service could have a hundred doctors doing fabulous operations, but if there aren’t the nurses to look after the patients the surgeries can’t happen.

Rita Devlin from the Royal College of Nurses (RCN), said: "We have the worst health service in the UK, if not Europe.

“Our patients deserve more and I can’t understand why we are having to stand here yet again the worst paid nurses in the United Kingdom," she added.

There are around 3,000 vacant nursing positions across Northern Ireland. 

Unions blame a lack of pay parity and working conditions as the reason why positions are going unfilled. 

Lyndsey Thompson, who began working as a nurse 12 years ago, said that wasn’t always the case. 

“When I first qualified I couldn’t get a job in the NHS, I had to get a job in the private sector.

“Within 12 years we have gone from no vacancies and me being on a waiting list to having thousands of vacancies," she explained.

"I don’t know how we can continue to deal with that, patients are suffering and the system is broken.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.