Psychiatric nurses to ballot members on CUH staffing

The Psychiatric Nurses Association is to ballot members on revised staffing proposals designed to end a row that has delayed the opening of a €15m psychiatric unit at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

The proposals, agreed over what the association described as “two days of very difficult discussions” at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) provide for:

• One additional supervisory nursing post in the 50-bed unit.
• The regularisation of 12 nurses acting in higher posts — confirmed in their posts rather than “acting”.
• The appointment of 17 temporary nurses to permanent positions.