Psychiatric nurses warn of ‘long and dirty battle’

HEALTH chiefs could be forced into a crisis situation in a potentially “long and dirty battle” with psychiatric nurses, it was warned yesterday.

Industrial action by the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) has resulted in the closure of beds in Dublin, while hostels and day services have been forced to shut their doors.

The dispute centres on a compensation scheme for nurses who are attacked on the job, with unions claiming the package proposed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) devalues psychiatric nurses.