Nurses strike over staffing and security

A FOUR-HOUR strike by nurses in the psychiatric unit at Tralee General Hospital yesterday did not disrupt services to patients and no patients were sent home, the Southern Health Board said.

Thirty members of the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association took the industrial action on health and safety issues, but nurses in the unit who are members of SIPTU were not involved in the dispute.

PNA general secretary Des Kavanagh said the essential basic needs of patients in regard to meals and medical care were taken care of.

“Our concern is to put maximum pressure on the SHB and to minimise inconvenience to patients,” Mr Kavanagh said.

He warned that if no progress was made to resolve the dispute during the weekend, his members would strike for a full day at the hospital next week.The PNA is due to meet SIPTU on the issue today.

Mr Kavanagh said pressure on staff had escalated in recent weeks because of a management decision to change procedures for admitting patients under garda escort.

Such patients had up to now been admitted to St Finan’s Hospital, Killarney, but, he claimed, no provision had been made for the admission of such patients to the Tralee unit.

An SHB spokeswoman said the board was available to meet PNA to clarify its position and had been in

ongoing discussions with both the PNA and SIPTU.

“The concerns of the PNA centre around staffing and security levels. In the last two years, 17 additional

appointments have been made to the Kerry mental health services, including ten psychiatric nurses,” she said.

“Also, the board has tendered for a personal alarm system for staff that will be integrated with the overall security system at Tralee General Hospital.

“Garda escorts are also allowed at the hospital and the board has sent a detailed plan to the Department of Health for a six-bed, higher observation unit at the psychiatric unit.”