Row over staffing of CUH unit closer to resolution

A row over nursing numbers that has delayed by six months the opening a €15 million acute psychiatric unit at Cork University Hospital (CUH) looks close to resolution on foot of an offer of improved staffing.

A set of proposals hammered out between unions representing the nurses and the HSE also includes a guaranteed staffing complement for a six-bed high observation unit within the 50-bed facility.

The HSE’s earlier decision to put on hold plans to open the high obs unit because of inadequate staffing had been a key sticking point in the dispute. And while no opening date has been set, Des Kavanagh, general secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), said they were satisfied the required staffing would be in place when it does.

“I’m not pushing for a date, I’m pushing for recruitment of nurses,” Mr Kavanagh said.

The PNA, which represents 22 of the 42 mental health nurses due to transfer to the new unit, balloted members at the weekend. Mr Kavanagh, who met with members in recent days, said there had been “no negative comments” in relation to the proposals and that he expected a favourable outcome to the ballot.

Siptu, which represents 20 of the nurses, is expected to ballot its members early next week.

The new proposals will increase the staff number from an earlier offer of 56 to the mid-70s. Health care assistants (HCAs) will be confined to working with the psychiatry of old age service on the basis of one-per-shift. Nurses had feared HCAs would be used to prop up the service at a time of nurse shortages.

The issue of whether funding has been allocated to the opening of the high obs unit and when that funding will be released remains unclear..