Furious nurses threaten industrial action over staff shortages at hospital

NURSES at a hospital for mentally handicapped patients are threatening industrial action unless staffing levels are radically improved.

Irish Nursing Organisation members at St Mary’s, Drumcar, Co Louth, are furious that staff shortages meant that patients are being routinely restrained in straitjackets and locked up at night.

Entire wings are also left unattended at night because there are too few staff members on duty, a situation that would result in many deaths in the event of a fire, according to a review presented to the Department of Health, shortly after its completion last November.