Nursing shortages are impacting at every level of the mental health services.
So say the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) at their annual delegate conference which is underway in Tullow, Co Carlow.
Representatives say the issue’s escalated since the decline of Covid due to a resumption of nurse emigration and retirement.
Addressing today’s gathering the organisation’s General Secretary Peter Hughes said “Since the decline of COVID, services are now experiencing a very high level of nurses emigrating to Australia and Canada in particular. Furthermore, nurses, who were eligible to retire and who stayed on to support services are now finally retiring.”
“These chronic shortages are happening at a time when there is a significant increase in demand for mental health services post covid. The PNA highlighted these concerns over a year ago. However, the Department of Health and the HSE failed then and continues to fail, to address the identified concerns.”
“The impacts of shortages are apparent daily throughout the services and the message to the Government is clear. It is inexcusable that nursing vacancies have been allowed to increase to such an extent that beds are being closed and vital services are being denied to communities across the country.”
“I am once again reiterating our demand on the Minister, Department of Health and the HSE to urgently establish workforce planning groups at both CHO level and nationally to address the crisis in the recruitment and retention of Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurses.”
Mr Hughes has also been noting that the PNA has been to the fore in publicly highlighting the historic under investment in our CAMH services. The grouping too has been warning that the spiraling cost of accommodation was a major concern particularly for young nurses and those contemplating a return from abroad. And he’s been highlighting also that members of the National Ambulance Service Representative Association (NASRA) branch of the PNA are still fighting for the right to be represented by the union of their choice, the PNA.
