Psychiatric nurses warn of 'growing crisis' in provision of mental health services

PNA General Secretary, Peter Hughes said it was totally unacceptable that nursing vacancies have been allowed to reduce to such an extent that beds are being closed and vital services are being denied to the communities involved.

Psychiatric nurses are warning of a “growing crisis” in the provision of mental health services in the west Dublin region, saying that a 16-bed psychiatric unit is due to close next Monday.

The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) said the closure of the Sub-Acute Unit at St James’s Psychiatric Unit will leave just 22 acute admissions beds for the entire catchment area.

The PNA said the move is due to nursing shortages and comes just three months after the closure of 11 beds in Linn Dara Child and Adolescent Mental Health unit, Cherry Orchard Hospital, in west Dublin.

The association said that these beds were due to re-open this month, but said it was their understanding that a further seven nurses are due to leave the vital unit in the coming months, potentially jeopardizing the re-opening.

In addition, the PNA said there are also at least 25 vacant posts in the Acute Mental Health Unit in Tallaght Hospital, equating to a more than 40% vacancy rate.

PNA General Secretary, Peter Hughes said it was totally unacceptable that nursing vacancies have been allowed to reduce to such an extent that beds are being closed and vital services are being denied to the communities involved.

“The loss of beds in St James and Linn Dara will have a serious detrimental impact on the delivery of services throughout the CH07 area and will put further pressure on remaining services and staff," he said.

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"We are witnessing an exodus of nurses and graduates from our mental health services to pursue opportunities abroad and we need an urgent and imaginative response to adequately staff our services.” 

He added: “The situations in St James, Tallaght and Linn Dara are symptoms of the wider crisis in the recruitment and retention of psychiatric nurses which is the direct result of failed HSE workforce planning. 

"The HSE must now come forward to target solutions and incentives to encourage the recruitment and retention of nurses to adequately staff mental health services, including CAMHS services, nationally. I have requested an urgent meeting with the HSE to address these critical developments.”

A spokesperson for the HSE issued the following statement on this issue: 

"In May 2022, the HSE made the difficult decision to temporarily reduce the inpatient capacity at Linn Dara Child and Adolescent Inpatient facility to 13 beds. A decision has also been made to temporarily reduce the inpatient capacity of the Jonathan Swift Centre St James to 16 beds. This will take effect from 26th September 2022.

"The capacity issues are not related to any funding difficulties, but are due to challenges in hiring and retaining nursing staff at levels necessary to operate Linn Dara and Jonathan Swift at full capacity while maintaining the necessary standards of care and safety for patients.

"Both centres affected by temporary bed closures will continue to process referrals for inpatient admissions and are working closely with the other HSE / HSE funded inpatient services to mitigate the situation and facilitate admission where such capacity exists. These reductions are reviewed on a constant basis, with the intention to return to full capacity at the earliest opportunity.

"Healthcare settings continue to face a challenging recruitment environment. The HSE is actively engaged in comprehensive national and international recruitment campaigns for Psychiatric Nursing staff as well as recruitment from graduate programmes. The HSE continues to explore all avenues to recruit and hire Psychiatric Nursing staff. As recruitment is ongoing, it is not possible to give a specific reopening date for the affected centres. The situation remains under constant review with the intention to return to full capacity at the earliest opportunity."