MORE THAN 8,000 psychiatric nurses are to begin industrial action next week in a dispute with the HSE over a compensation scheme set up for nurses in the psychiatric services who are injured at work.
The Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA) and Siptu, which represent the nurses, have described the the scheme as totally inadequate.
The industrial action, in pursuit of what they call "a fair and reasonable compensation scheme", begins on Wednesday, April 30th.
During the dispute they will refuse to do overtime, will refuse to accompany patients to mental health tribunals and will refuse to attend non-essential meetings.
The HSE said last night it regretted the decision of the unions to serve notice of industrial action, and appealed to them not to continue on this course as it could put patients at unnecessary risk.
"There are avenues open to the PNA/Siptu to resolve this matter which the HSE is willing to engage in," a HSE spokesman said.
The nurses' anger over the compensation scheme, as currently structured, is expected to dominate the annual conference of the PNA, which begins in Trim, Co Meath, today. However, the imposition of recent cutbacks by the HSE to save costs will also feature.
Des Kavanagh, general secretary of the PNA, said cutbacks were being imposed with a vigour not witnessed in 20 years. He said meals for day-hospital patients, for example, were being stopped, yet it was claimed by management that patients were not suffering.
He revealed that two nurses in east Galway who resisted the axing of their service - which provided therapies and rehabilitation for psychiatric patients in hospital and in the community - earlier this year found themselves suspended.
"A few days later, at an emergency LRC hearing, their suspensions were rescinded," he said.
"Last week the Labour Court published its findings on the case and instructed the employers to defer the closure of the units for three months and to engage in partnership discussions."