The HSE says Tralee Community Nursing Unit is not facing the loss of six nurses.
A meeting took place at the facility last Thursday during which relatives of residents at the unit said they were told that there would be fewer nurses from the end of next month.
Siobhan Murphy, whose mother is a resident, says they were told the unit was losing six nurses, mostly due to retirement.
The HSE says Tralee Community Nursing Unit will continue to provide the same high standard of care to residents.
Siobhán Murphy says she and other relatives of residents at Tralee Community Nursing Unit were told at the meeting that six nurses could not be replaced because of the HSE embargo but that some might be replaced by agency staff.
Cork Kerry Community Healthcare says the figures mentioned are entirely incorrect and that any vacancies at the unit will be addressed through the normal recruitment process.
It says while there are some restrictions on general HSE recruitment, a derogation process is available for nursing roles and that it doesn’t have any concerns about its ability to recruit for any vacancies at the nit.
The HSE’s statement gives no mention of the number of nurses it will have to recruit and the timeline.
Siobhan Murphy says clarity is needed.
Ms Murphy has paid tribute to staff at Tralee Community Nursing Unit.
