Staff at hospital angry at compensation claims

STAFF at one of the country’s oldest psychiatric hospitals were last night outraged following claims that the transfer of patients to a new unit was being held up by a row over compensation for workers.

Clinical director for the Limerick Mental Health Services, Dr Peter Kirwan, claimed the prolonged delay in transferring 38 elderly patients from a former workhouse building at St Joseph’s Hospital, Limerick, to a €2.5m community residence centred on bids by staff to improve a 4,000 transfer allowance.

The Psychiatric Nurses Association said the claims were an abuse of the facts. General secretary Des Kavanagh said the union has at all times led the campaign locally and nationally to maximise resources for mental health nursing.