Menu
07/06/2016
Psychiatric Nurses Vote For Industrial Action
Psychiatric nurses have voted in favour of industrial action in a dispute with the Health Service Executive (HSE) over recruitment and retention of nurses throughout the mental health services.
In a national ballot, nurses voted 87% in favour of industrial action up to and including strike action. The Board of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) will meet on Thursday 09 June to decide on the timetable and form of industrial action.
PNA General Secretary Designate, Peter Hughes, said: "Nurses are not prepared to stand by and watch the demand for acute and community mental health services growing while knowing that this demand cannot be met with the current levels of understaffing with up to 600 nursing vacancies currently and a further 400 to arise from forecasted retirement.
"This situation is simply unsustainable, and staff have been left struggling to maintain acute and community services with no prospect of investing in the development of urgently needed new services.
"The PNA met with Health Minister Simon Harris last week and set out clear proposals to address both the immediate staffing shortages throughout the services and also plan for the growing demand for newly qualified psychiatric nurses which is looming over the coming years.
"We need to see a comprehensive plan from the HSE that will include measures to retain existing staff in our services and significantly grow the number of student training places for psychiatric nursing."
(MH)
In a national ballot, nurses voted 87% in favour of industrial action up to and including strike action. The Board of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) will meet on Thursday 09 June to decide on the timetable and form of industrial action.
PNA General Secretary Designate, Peter Hughes, said: "Nurses are not prepared to stand by and watch the demand for acute and community mental health services growing while knowing that this demand cannot be met with the current levels of understaffing with up to 600 nursing vacancies currently and a further 400 to arise from forecasted retirement.
"This situation is simply unsustainable, and staff have been left struggling to maintain acute and community services with no prospect of investing in the development of urgently needed new services.
"The PNA met with Health Minister Simon Harris last week and set out clear proposals to address both the immediate staffing shortages throughout the services and also plan for the growing demand for newly qualified psychiatric nurses which is looming over the coming years.
"We need to see a comprehensive plan from the HSE that will include measures to retain existing staff in our services and significantly grow the number of student training places for psychiatric nursing."
(MH)
Related Irish News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
01 May 2009
Nurses Vote 'No Confidence' In Hospital Chiefs
Protesting nurses at Portiuncula Hospital in Galway have passed a vote of no confidence in their Director of Nursing and General Manager. Nurses working in the Ballinasloe hospital cast their vote at a general meeting this week, over the handling of an ongoing dispute within senior nurse management at the hospital.
Nurses Vote 'No Confidence' In Hospital Chiefs
Protesting nurses at Portiuncula Hospital in Galway have passed a vote of no confidence in their Director of Nursing and General Manager. Nurses working in the Ballinasloe hospital cast their vote at a general meeting this week, over the handling of an ongoing dispute within senior nurse management at the hospital.
09 May 2008
Psychiatric Nurses' Dispute To Be Resolved
Psychiatric nurses are to hold talks on Friday with health care bosses to try to resolve the continuing dispute over compensation claims. Nurses maintain that the compensation scheme offered to staff attacked on the job undermines their position, and earlier this week threatened to engage in further industrial action.
Psychiatric Nurses' Dispute To Be Resolved
Psychiatric nurses are to hold talks on Friday with health care bosses to try to resolve the continuing dispute over compensation claims. Nurses maintain that the compensation scheme offered to staff attacked on the job undermines their position, and earlier this week threatened to engage in further industrial action.
23 November 2018
HSE Urged To Recognise Psychiatric Nurses Association
Sinn Féin spokesperson for workers' rights David Cullinane TD has today called on the HSE to recognise the right of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) to represent its members who are ambulance personnel with the HSE.
HSE Urged To Recognise Psychiatric Nurses Association
Sinn Féin spokesperson for workers' rights David Cullinane TD has today called on the HSE to recognise the right of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) to represent its members who are ambulance personnel with the HSE.
25 November 2015
INMO Strike 'Disappointing But Not At All Surprising' - FF
The decision of Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) members to vote in favour of strike action is "not at all surprising given the scale of the crisis in our hospitals and the conditions they are expected to work in", Fianna Fáil Health Spokesperson Billy Kelleher has said.
INMO Strike 'Disappointing But Not At All Surprising' - FF
The decision of Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) members to vote in favour of strike action is "not at all surprising given the scale of the crisis in our hospitals and the conditions they are expected to work in", Fianna Fáil Health Spokesperson Billy Kelleher has said.
21 May 2009
Sligo Nurses Walk Out In Strike Action
In spite of last minute negotiations, nurses at a leading hospital are today taking industrial action. Sligo General Hospital has been hit by the action as the nursing staff are staging a one-day strike. Some 240 members of the Irish Nurses Organisation and SIPTU are taking part in the day of action, which started at 8am this morning.
Sligo Nurses Walk Out In Strike Action
In spite of last minute negotiations, nurses at a leading hospital are today taking industrial action. Sligo General Hospital has been hit by the action as the nursing staff are staging a one-day strike. Some 240 members of the Irish Nurses Organisation and SIPTU are taking part in the day of action, which started at 8am this morning.
-
Ireland WeatherToday:Dry, bright start this morning with best of sunshine in the west. Thickening cloud over Down and Antrim this morning with a few showers, extending westwards this afternoon. Lighter winds. Maximum temperature 16 °C.Tonight:Rather cloudy and mainly dry at first, then showery outbreaks of rain extending westwards to most places during the night, turning heavier towards morning. Light winds. Minimum temperature 8 °C.
