Nurses seek dedicated child facility
SIPTU, which represents psychiatric staff at St Joseph's Hospital, confirmed that a 12-year-old girl was admitted to unit 5B in Dooradoyle in early December last year and remained there until up to a fortnight ago. A 14-year-old autistic boy has been resident in 5B for 18 months.
SIPTU spokesman Tony Doody said 5B, an acute admissions unit, was not suitable for care of children.
"It is an adult unit where between 90% and 95% of admissions are adults. In terms of professional care and delivery of care, placing a child of 11 or 12 in a ward where they can have very regular disturbances, is not suitable staff can get concerned about kids in that environment."
Mr Doody said the unit, which is kept locked, had up to 50 beds and was "invariably, always full".
He said there was an immediate need to establish a dedicated unit for children and adolescents because of their specific care needs.
Mr Doody said the 12-year-old girl who recently spent time in 5B had been very disturbed and required a lot of attention.
The Mid Western Health Board said it did not comment on individual cases.
SIPTU is planning a protest outside the offices of the MWHB this Friday in a row over redeployment of staff and what it claims are inflexible working hours.
The row between union and management relates to the transfer of patients from St Joseph's to community care units, in particular, Inis Gile, in Parteen.
Staff resisted the transfer until a closure package was put in place which committed management to creating and securing extra nursing posts. The package was accepted on the grounds it would form the basis of negotiations when more community-based care units come on stream.
However, Mr Doody claimed the MWHB is already rowing back on the agreement, by introducing subtle changes to annual leave entitlements.
