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Psychiatric nurses have commenced industrial action at Waterford University Hospital

Industrial action has also escalated in Kilkenny.

PSYCHIATRIC NURSES AT Waterford University Hospital today started their industrial action in response to overcrowding and staffing issues.

Today’s commencement of industrial action in the Department of Psychiatry and in residential units at Grangemore, St Aiden’s and Ard na Deise involves psychiatric nurses not co-operating with non-nursing duties.

Meanwhile, in a direct response to the continuing overcrowding in St Luke’s Acute Psychiatric Unit in Kilkenny, where there were 50 patients in the 44 bed unit at the weekend, nurses there are escalating their industrial action which has been in place since December.

A statement from the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) explained how, in both cases, nurses balloted overwhelmingly for action up to and including strike.

PNA Industrial Relations Officer, Michael Hayes, said nurses were embarking on industrial action reluctantly, but have been left with no choice.

He said: ‘The message to the HSE from today is clear – the current levels of overcrowding in psychiatric units in Waterford and Kilkenny cannot be allowed to continue.

“These vital services cannot be delivered adequately and safely in facilities that are regularly overcrowded and understaffed.

‘The demand on the mental health services in Waterford and Kilkenny, as in the rest of the country, is constant, and growing.

“The current facilities are proving again and again that there is not the capacity to meet those demands and nurses are demanding that the HSE set out clearly how the issues arising from overcrowding and understaffing are going to be resolved in Waterford and Kilkenny once and for all.”

Late last year, the PNA highlighted how a lack of resources meant two people admitted to the mental health unit at University Hospital Waterford (UHW) had to spend the night on chairs.

Peter Hughes, the PNA’s General Secretary, said accommodating patients on chairs because of the lack of beds is intolerable for patients and their families and upsetting for staff.

Read: ‘Totally unacceptable’: Two people spend night on chairs in mental health unit >

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    Mute Bella Gunning
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    Oct 29th 2014, 5:19 PM

    Great news for people who sell ‘stuff’

    19
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    Mute R Neuville
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    Oct 29th 2014, 7:22 PM

    Obscene Lobby Driven car tax on pre-2008 cars forcing people to buy new cars. Those who cannot afford new cars subsidising the annual road tax of the wealthy who can. A most regressive tax. Was not passed in the UK. Ireland a lobby ridden disgusting place to live – no equity. Bring your Brains to the Polling Booths.

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    Mute Tequila Gold
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    Oct 29th 2014, 7:19 PM

    The one in the picture would be better off hugging a bicycle

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    Mute Bevin Reilly
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    Oct 29th 2014, 6:42 PM

    Love that stock photo.

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    Mute Business Cat
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    Oct 29th 2014, 4:27 PM

    Name the car in the picture….

    I’m thinking RR Evoque?

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    Mute wondermiss
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    Oct 29th 2014, 4:50 PM

    KIA sorento I think

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    Mute Anthony Halpin
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    Oct 29th 2014, 9:01 PM

    A bit of that Mechanophilia stuff going on there by the look of it

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    Mute CW
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    Oct 29th 2014, 8:45 PM

    Well the bullshit statistics from the high street say that most under 25′s and up to 30 are buying in the high street due to increasing numbers employed in the financial and insurance industry, the high street doesn’t show the online buying by the work in poor at middle class’s that wouldn’t pay those prices. It’s a two tier system, that the government are now dependent on the young living at home for their figures. The ESRI is not reflective to the population.

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    Mute Anthony Halpin
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    Oct 29th 2014, 8:59 PM

    All we need now is a scrappage scheme for 3 year old cars, supported by the SIMI and Green party!

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    Mute Christabel Benoit
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    Nov 2nd 2014, 5:19 PM

    And I just bought a beautiful vintage sofa, which only comes to prove I spend a lot on what we’ve been talking in this article. If I were a keen driver, I’d probably spend a lot on my car as well. Take a look at the pros and cons of vintage furniture: http://www.hometalk.com/5463165/the-pros-and-cons-of-vintage-furniture and you will understand what I am talking about.

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