Second union rejects bid to end psych unit impasse

A second nurses’ union has rejected proposals aimed at ending an impasse that has already caused a four-month delay in the opening of a €15m acute psychiatric unit at Cork University Hospital.

Last night, members of the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association (PNA) followed in the footsteps of Siptu mental health nurses at CUH, which earlier this week voted down the latest proposals from the Labour Relations Commission. A PNA spokesperson said 80% of its members voted no.

Approximately 40 mental health nurses due to transfer to the 50-bed facility have refused to do so on grounds that the HSE has not addressed all of their clinical concerns, chiefly the proposal to boost staffing numbers through the use of healthcare assistants as well as failure to open a six-bed high observation unit.