Mental health services urgently require more staff: Nurses

The Psychiatric Nurses Association says there are vacancies for 600 professionals but the government isn’t doing enough to recruit and retain staff.

It’s calling for the Vision for Change Strategy - which outlines how mental health services should be developed - to be fully implemented.

At the moment there’s a shortfall of nearly 2000 staff compared to what the strategy recommends.

Peter Hughes, General Secretary of the PNA, says it’s vital that recruitment happens immediately to lessen the impact on families and avoid children being admitted to adult psychiatric services.