In a disagreement over staffing levels, the Health Service Executive has received notice of strike action from the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), reports RTE.
The action, which will start as a work-to-rule, will begin on March 26.
The HSE has come under fire from the PNA for not excluding mental health services from the projected reductions in nurse staff and recruiting limitations, reports RTE.
According to the union, service delivery has been impacted by the reduction of mental health staffing to unsustainable levels.
“The reality of the HSE Pay and Numbers Strategy is that it is a blunt instrument which will effectively wipe out over 700 vacant psychiatric nursing posts from mental health. The current level of staffing shortages has left services hugely reliant on overtime and agency to maintain basic services and is severely impacting on service development,” PNA General Secretary Peter Hughes said, reports RTE.
In a disagreement about staff shortages, Fórsa, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), and Unite gave notice of strike action to the HSE yesterday.
The unions have accused the HSE of suppressing posts and placing limitations on recruiting, reports RTE.
After a three-week warning period, the industrial action is scheduled to commence on March 31.
At first, it will manifest as a work-to-rule and other non-cooperation measures.
The unions have issued a warning that if it becomes necessary to intensify the conflict, further planned measures, such as work stoppages, would be taken into consideration, reports RTE.
Bernard Gloster, the CEO of the Health Service Executive, stated that the planned industrial action is “regrettable” in light of the health service’s growing budget and workforce.
According to Mr. Gloster, he anticipates hiring 6,800 additional individuals before the year is out, reports RTE.
According to the HSE, it has been able to stabilise its worker numbers and raise personnel levels thanks to its Pay and Numbers Strategy.
According to a representative for the HSE, any industrial action would cause significant disruptions to service delivery, resulting in longer waiting lines and more delays, reports RTE.
“The HSE will seek in every way possible to have this action avoided,” the HSE said, reports RTE.
The industrial action, according to PNA Deputy General Secretary Michael Hayes, is “going to highlight the large amounts of goodwill that our members actually place into the system every day and the over reliance on the agency and overtime within the system.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, he said: “I suppose we don’t want any impact on patients, but the long-term reality of the PN numbers strategy as it’s currently designed would suggest that we’re going to lose hundreds of nurses out of the system if the reductions in agency and overtime envisaged…were actually to take place,” reports RTE.
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