PSYCHIATRIC NURSES ASSOCIATION of Ireland

PSYCHIATRIC NURSES ASSOCIATION of Ireland
Tel: 045 852300 Email: info@pna.ie

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Category: PNA Blog

Aisling Culhane Research & Development Advisor & General Secretary of Horatio congratulates the new President of ICN Annette Kennedy Ireland

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Category: Press and Media Information

The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) said today (Thursday 25 th May) it was extremely disappointed and angry after talks with the Health Service Executive (HSE) to avert the closure from June 1 st  of 11 of the 22 inpatient beds at the Linn Dara Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) at Cherry Orchard Hospital, Ballyfermot , Dublin  ended without agreement.

PNA General Secretary, Peter Hughes said PNA had put forward proposals to HSE to address the staffing shortage at Linn Dara, but these were rejected by management. Half of the 34 nursing posts in Linn Dara are currently vacant.

‘The HSE was able to tell us that there is a waiting list of 20 children for Linn Dara, but they were unable to consider realistic proposals to meet the staffing shortage and keep these vital beds open. 

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Category: Press and Media Information

Press Release

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

The IMO, INMO and PNA representing Doctors, Nurses, including Psychiatric Nurses, and Midwives, employed throughout our public health service, met today to consider the Public Sector Pay Commission Report, and, in particular, the issues highlighted by that Report in relation to the recruitment/retention of staff in the Health Sector. 

The issues of recruitment and retention of medical and nursing staff, in our health services, must be addressed in the context of the forthcoming public sector pay negotiations. 

The IMO, INMO and PNA are therefore calling on Government to ensure that there is sufficient flexibility within the talks, to deal with this problem, and to cease adopting a “head in the sand” approach to the manpower crisis within our hospitals, community and mental health services which have a significant negative impact on the delivery of care to patients across the country.

The three unions also endorsed, and support, the collective approach, of Public Service Unions, to seek restoration of pay and hours attacked in recent years.

Doctors, Nurses and Midwives, working in the public health service, have struggled through years of cutbacks to deliver the best care to patients in highly pressurised and under resourced working environments.  The HSE is no longer an employer of choice for a growing number of doctors, nurses and midwives whose skills are actively sought by European and International Health Organisations. Such organisations, not only offer better terms and conditions but also provide an environment that allows them to do the job for which they have trained.

We simply cannot ignore the facts of the situation any longer which include: