Psychiatric nurses to be balloted on possible industrial action

The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) will ballot its members for industrial action in response to a decision by the HSE to exempt mental health services from a recruitment embargo

The embargo was imposed on the health services in November 2023 when it was revealed that 2,000 posts filled or committed to by the HSE last year have no Government-backed funding.

PNA general secretary Peter Hughes said the ballot for industrial action – up to and including strike- reflects the “frustration” of union members at a HSE memo dated April 3rd which announced derogations to the recruitment embargo but did not include mental health services.

“There are over 700 vacancies in the mental health services which is seriously impacting on the delivery of care, the depletion of frontline services and the inability to develop services,” he said.

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“The provision of basic psychiatric services throughout the country, including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is reliant on both overtime and agency. This is becoming unsustainable and there is mounting concern that the current situation will ultimately result in the closure of services. It is essential that the recruitment of psychiatric/mental health nurses is exempt from the recruitment freeze, as a matter of urgency. "

Mr Hughes cited examples of services which remain closed as a direct result of lack of staff.

He said the recruitment embargo means that the 11 bed unit in the Linn Dara CAMHS centre in Cherry Orchard, Dublin were shut.

“It is imperative that every possible effort is made to re-open this unit,” he said. “Our mental health services are at a critical tipping point, and we have been reliably informed that closures of some community services are imminent in order for managers to prioritize the inpatient approved centres and 24-hour community services. This of course will lead to significant risk in the community and increased admissions.

“Furthermore, there is a very significant risk factor in terms of clinical governance with the number of critical promotional posts that have not received derogation.”

Mr Hughes claimed the refusal of the HSE to acknowledge the extent of the staffing crisis and exempt mental health services from the recruitment ban has “completely undermined” the confidence of existing psychiatric nurses to meet the chronic staff shortages being faced now and in the coming years.

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