Friday, November 8 th 2019 : Psychiatric nurses in Waterford, members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association, (PNA) , today (Friday, 8 th Nov.) protested at the University Hospital Waterford at the ongoing overcrowding at the hospital's Acute Psychiatry Unit.
Today's protest follows on last week's unprecedented overcrowding at the Unit which is the latest example of the crisis in mental health services in Waterford brought about through a combination of overcrowding, understaffing and a complete lack of development of Community and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).
PNA Industrial Relations Officer, Michael Hayes said today's protest was necessary to highlight the impact that overcrowding and under -resourcing of mental health services in Waterford is having on the delivery of care to vulnerable services users.
Wednesday 30th October: The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) has today (Wednesday) said that overcrowding in the Waterford mental health services has reached unprecedented levels and has placed staff working in the services under intolerable pressure.
The 44-bed acute Psychiatry Unit at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) has an additional 10 patients admitted on the ward. Ten beds assigned to Waterford Mental Health Services at the private St Patrick’s Mental Health Services in Dublin are now full and a further three Waterford patients have had to be transferred to Kilkenny which is now also fully occupied.
PNA Industrial Relations Officer, Michael Hayes said the overcrowding in the Waterford services has now reached unprecedented levels despite repeated warnings from the PNA in recent months that the situation in the services was deteriorating.
As you are aware part of the pay commission recommendation is that the eligibility for Senior Staff Nurse is reduced from 20 to 17 years.
This will take effect from 1st November 2019. It is imperative that members who have 17 years plus staff nurse experience apply to their Director of Nursing for Senior Staff Nurse before 1st November 2019 in order to have your application submitted prior to the implementation date.
Please bring this to the attention of any member who meets the criteria of 17+ years experience