HSE ‘drags feet’ over safety at psych unit

The HSE has been accused of "dragging its feet" in implementing safety measures at a psychiatric unit where 44 incidents of alleged violence on staff took place in a three-month period.

The Psychiatric Nurses’ Association also said it had to use the Freedom of Information Act to get a copy of a report of an inspection by the Health and Safety Authority at the psychiatric admissions unit in Kerry General Hospital, Tralee.

Cormac Williams of the PNA said the union had sought a meeting with the HSE to improve the working environment for patients and staff following the report, but that had not happened.

Inspector Mark Rowlands of the HSA visited the unit on June 23 after reports of assaults on staff and subsequently issued three improvement notices to the HSE under the Health and Safety Act.

The safety authority asked that all at-risk staff be provided with an effective personal alarm device, that all staff in the unit receive training in dealing with work-related violence and aggression, and that “escalation management” procedures be reviewed.

Mr Williams called for urgent action to deal with what he described as continuing incidents of violence, assault, and aggression and nurse shortages.

There were 44 incidents during June, July, and August, nine of which were serious assaults, said Mr Williams, with three nurses having to attend the hospital’s emergency unit following an August 18 incident.

He also said the unit continued to be “plagued” by staff shortages.

The HSE said that it had engaged a company to expand the personal alarm system and to put a “pinpoint”-type system in place. Work on technical aspects of the project is expected to be completed in a month.

A close observation unit is due to open at the end of the month, which will provide more appropriate accommodation for clients with acute illness and will help staff to care for them in a safer environment.

Funding has been allocated for this system and work has commenced on technical aspects of the project which should be completed in a month’s time.

The HSE acknowledged the need to restart training on the management of aggression and assault and the next training module has been set for November.

This training will be mandatory for all staff.

A HSE spokesman also said employees had a duty to comply with the regulations and take reasonable care to protect their own safety and that of any other person who may be affected by an employee’s acts or omissions at work.

He also said the HSE welcomed safety inspections and was working to meet the recommendations from the inspection process.