External assessor to consider psych unit staffing for Cork hospital

The HSE is bringing in an external assessor to look at proposed staffing levels for a new acute psychiatric unit in Cork that remains closed in a row over nursing numbers.

Sat, 18 Apr, 2015 - 01:00

Catherine Shanahan

The assessment is due to be carried “immediately” by David Timmons, area director of nursing at the Central Mental Hospital.

According to the HSE, the assessment is expected to be completed prior to upcoming talks at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) due to commence on April 27.

The move is the latest development in a long-running row over proposed staffing at the €15m psychiatric unit on the grounds of Cork University Hospital (CUH) which was scheduled to open last January. The row has already led to a series of talks at the LRC which failed to resolve the impasse.

In a letter to Siptu, the HSE reiterates its belief that staffing levels identified by nurse management “are safe and appropriate”. The HSE also notes the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) and Siptu “were agreeable to the proposed staffing levels as identified and agreed at the LRC on February 17”.

The unions recommended acceptance to members, but the proposal was rejected overwhelmingly. Earlier this week, Siptu called for “an agreed independent expert” to carry out a clinical review of the proposals for the operation of the 50-bed unit.

PNA general secretary Des Kavanagh said there had been “no agreement on an independent assessor”. He said if the HSE was serious about resolving the row “they might well have sought to engage with us before they told us about their plan to bring in an external assessor”.

“Normally, these things are done by agreement and the terms of reference are agreed. If the HSE is bringing in its own assessor, then I have no confidence in this process,” Mr Kavanagh said. The assessor is a HSE employee who works in the National Forensic Mental Health Service. The new unit is an acute service.

A Siptu spokesperson said it remained its position to seek “an independent expert”, that the concerns of some of members “which are of a clinical nature require a review conducted by an independent expert in the field of psychiatric care”.

The HSE said it will update the unions as soon as the assessmentis completed.

Management of Cork Mental Health Services said the external assessment was “to assist with progressing outstanding matters, particularly the concerns raised regarding staffing levels for the new acute unit”.

They said the assessor was “very experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable in all aspects of mental health service provision”.

The standalone unit is due to replace the facility known as “GF” which is located in the main CUH.

It was to contain one of four high observation units the HSE committed to opening nationally under its 2015 Service Plan, but this element has been stood down due to staffing levels.

Earlier this month, a nurse who aired his concerns about the new unit in the media was put off duty with pay. Des McSweeney has since been cleared to return to work.