Approximately 6,500 psychiatric nurses across Ireland will commence industrial action today, citing concerns over proposed nursing staff cuts and recruitment restrictions in mental health services.
The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) will implement a “work to rule” strategy, with nurses limiting their duties to core clinical responsibilities. This means some facilities may not open, and nurses will refrain from non-essential tasks such as completing non-clinical paperwork or attending non-mandatory meetings.
PNA General Secretary Peter Hughes emphasized that staffing in mental health services has been reduced to “unsustainable levels,” potentially impacting service delivery and future development. He warned that without resolving the dispute, the Pay and Numbers Strategy could “decimate mental health services” through potential closures and service curtailments.
The industrial action stems from the association’s ongoing engagement with the HSE under the Workplace Relations Commission, with nurses insisting on talks addressing staffing issues in mental health services.
Notably, the PNA has not specified an end date for the industrial action, suggesting a potentially prolonged dispute aimed at drawing attention to their concerns about workforce management in psychiatric care.
The union argues that the proposed cuts threaten the quality and sustainability of mental health services, calling for immediate intervention to protect both healthcare workers and patient care.