Shortage of nurses forces psychiatric day care centre to close

A DAY care centre in Limerick which caters for 18 psychiatric patients has been closed for the past week due to a shortage of nurses.

Two unions, the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) and SIPTU, say staffing shortages have resulted in a crisis in Limerick’s psychiatric services.

Up to 70 nurses, it was claimed, left the service over the past three years and have not been replaced due to a moratorium on recruitment.