Psychiatric staff stage stoppage

Day staff at an acute psychiatric unit who refused to begin work yesterday over safety fears have said they cannot rule out similar action in future if no long-term solution was found.

Ten psychiatric nurses refused to go on duty at the 45-bed acute unit in University College Hospital Galway yesterday morning, claiming concerns over health and safety in the unit had reached crisis point.

It followed claims of 36 assaults in the unit since the start of the year and mounting concern over the number of patients entering the unit since the closure of a separate unit in Ballinasloe.