PSYCHIATRIC NURSES ASSOCIATION of Ireland

PSYCHIATRIC NURSES ASSOCIATION of Ireland
Tel: 045 852300 Email: info@pna.ie

Press and Media Information

PNA WELCOMES MHC REVIEW WHICH RECOGNISES ROLE OF FRONTLINE STAFF IN MEETING CHALLENGES OF COVID-19 FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND THE NEED FOR INVESTMENT IN ‘FIT FOR PURPOSE’ RESIDENTIAL AND IN-PATIENT FACILITIES

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Created: Thursday, 10 June 2021 11:58

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The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) today (Thursday, 10th June ) welcomed the publication of the Mental Health Commission Review Examining the Impacts and Response to Covid -19 in Residential Mental Health Services and said it was a timely and valuable review of the impact of Covid-19 on a particularly vulnerable part of our health services and the lessons that need to be learned for future investment in mental health facilities.

PNA General Secretary, Peter Hughes the MHC Review highlighted the essential element that front line staff, and in particular nurses provide in delivering mental health services and the enormous commitment nurses made to maintain those services even when many nurses had themselves contracted the virus.

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PNA CONCERNED AT SLOW PACE OF COVID-19 VACCINE ROLL-OUT TO MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY SERVICE USERS AND STAFF

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Created: Friday, 22 January 2021 13:51

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The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) today (Friday, 22nd January) expressed serious concerns at the delayed and sporadic roll-out of the Covid -19 vaccine throughout the mental health and intellectual disability (ID) services.

Mr Peter Hughes, PNA General Secretary, said there is growing concern by both staff and service users that they are not being sufficiently prioritised for vaccination and are not being communicated properly with on the scheduling of the vaccine delivery.

He said frontline mental health and intellectual disability staff and service users are among the most vulnerable to infection in the health services, yet they are not being prioritised and many of them are now feeling left behind in the current vaccination roll-out.

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PNA ANNUAL CONFERENCE TOLD MENTAL HEALTH SHARE OF HEALTH BUDGET CUT AS SERVICES FACE RISING DEMAND AND IMPACT OF COVID -19 

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Created: Thursday, 26 November 2020 09:21

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Thursday 26th November 2020 – The Annual Delegate Conference of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) – which is taking place online – has been told that despite growing demand at all levels for mental health services that the percentage of the overall health budget for mental health has actually decreased by 1%.

The conference also heard that up to 200 extra nurses will be required for the full opening of the new National Forensic Mental Health Services in Portrane , in North County Dublin next year. 

Commenting on the overall percentage reduction in the mental health budget PNA General Secretary, Peter Hughes told the Conference:

“This is outrageous and clearly highlights the lack of understanding of our politicians of the inadequacy of our current services or the extent of the growing demands for mental health services at every level.”

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BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH TOTALLY INADEQUATE TO FUND MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY AND MEET GROWING DEMAND FOR SERVICES

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Created: Wednesday, 14 October 2020 12:39

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The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) today (Wednesday ,October 14th ) strongly criticised the Budget 2021 allocation for mental health services as totally inadequate to properly fund the Government’s Sharing the Vision mental health strategy or to meet the mounting level of demand for mental health services, much of which is resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

PNA General Secretary, Peter Hughes said the Budget allocation of €50 million to mental health was in reality an extra €38 million with €12million to go to support existing levels of services.

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UNACCEPTABLE THAT NATIONAL AMBULANCE SERVICE WAS AWARE OF LOOMING PAYROLL PROBLEMS FOR EMTs WEEKS AGO BUT TOOK NO ACTION

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Created: Wednesday, 02 September 2020 14:10

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Frontline EMTs continuing to receive incorrect payslips and ongoing issues must be resolved urgently

The ambulance branch of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), said today (Wednesday 2nd Sept) that frontline EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians ) are continuing to receive incorrect pay slips with payments missing despite assurances from the National Ambulance Service that it had resolved staff shortages in its payroll section.

PNA ambulance branch (NASRA) Secretary, Tony Gregg said that despite the NAS being aware two weeks ago of staff shortages that were impacting on the processing of payments to EMTs they did nothing to resolve the situation and were prepared to allow frontline EMT’s to go without these payments.
“These EMTs are frontline workers who have put their safety, and that of their families, on the line in responding to the Covid -19 crisis. They have shown extraordinary bravery and commitment to the health service and the community in the work they have undertaken since the start of the Covid crisis. Despite this, the HSE and the National Ambulance Service allowed the situation to develop and, because of the lack of payroll staff, EMT’s did not have their allowances or overtime processed and paid.”

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  1. PNA SAYS IMPLEMENTATION AND POLITICAL WILL KEY TO SUCCESS OF NEW ‘SHARING THE VISION’ MENTAL HEALTH POLICY
  2. MENTAL HEALTH COMMISSION REPORT SHOWS CONSEQUENCES OF LACK OF INVESTMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND FAILURES IN IMPLEMENTATION OF VISION FOR CHANGE STRATEGY
  3. ACTIONS TO ADDRESS CRISIS IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MUST BE CENTRAL TO ANY PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT
  4. INCOMING GOVERNMENT MUST PRIORITISE FUNDING AND CAPACITY ISSUES TO MEET GROWING DEMAND FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
  5. OVERCROWDING IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS PUTTING HUGE PRESSURES ON AMBULANCE SERVICES AND STRETCHING PERSONNEL TO THE LIMITS
  6. PSYCHIATRIC NURSES PROTEST AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL WATERFORD (UHW) AT ONGOING OVERCROWDING AND UNDERSTAFFING IN ACUTE PSYCHIATRY UNIT
  7. PNA SAYS OVERCROWDING IN WATERFORD MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES HAS REACHED NEW LEVELS AND IS PLACING INTOLERABLE HARDSHIP ON SERVICE USERS AND STAFF
  8. PNA AMBULANCE MEMBERS PROTEST AT DAIL IN CONTINUATION OF CAMPAIGN IN DEMAND OF THE RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY THE TRADE UNION OF THEIR CHOICE
  9. PNA STATEMENT
  10. PNA MEMBERS WILL NOT WORK BEYOND CONTRACTED HOURS FROM WEDNESDAY FOLLOWING COLLAPSE OF TALKS TO RESOLVE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CRISIS IN MENTAL HEALTH
  11. HSE disregards contingency planning for ambulance service during strike action - PNA
  12. PNA AMBULANCE MEMBERS TO HOLD SECOND 24 HOUR STRIKE TOMORROW (Friday)
  13. PSYCHIATRIC NURSES WILL ONLY WORK CONTRACTED HOURS FROM TOMORROW (Thurs. 11 th .) AS PNA SAYS FIVE MONTHS OF TALKS TO ADDRESS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CRISIS HAVE GONE NOWHERE
  14. PNA SAYS MEMBERS WILL NOT WORK BEYOND CONTRACTED HOURS IN RESPONSE TO LACK OF PROGRESS IN RESOLVING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CRISIS IN MENTAL HEALTH
  15. PNA AMBULANCE MEMBERS TO PROTEST AT DAIL TOMORROW (July 4 th .) AND ANNOUNCE FURTHER 24 HOUR STRIKE DAY IN DEMAND OF RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY THE TRADE UNION OF THEIR CHOICE
  16. PNA AMBULANCE MEMBERS' FIRST 24-HOUR STRIKE TO COMMENCE AT 7 a.m Tomorrow – Friday, 31 st May
  17. PNA AMBULANCE MEMBERS TO COMMENCE SERIES OF 24-HOUR STRIKES AS CAMPAIGN ON THE RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY THE TRADE UNION OF THEIR CHOICE ESCALATES
  18. PNA AMBULANCE MEMBERS PROTEST AT DAIL AHEAD OF MAJOR ESCALATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION TO 24 HOUR STRIKES IN DEMAND OF  RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY THE TRADE UNION OF THEIR CHOICE
  19. PNA ANNUAL CONFERENCE TOLD MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES STAFFING SHORTAGES TO GROW AS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CRISIS WORSENS
  20. PNA AMBULANCE BRANCH TO MOVE TO 24 HOUR STRIKES IN MAJOR ESCALATION OF CONTINUING CAMPAIGN FOR RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY THE TRADE UNION OF THEIR CHOICE
  21. PNA SAYS CLOSURE OF ROSALIE UNIT, CASTLEREA, A BREACH OF POLITICAL PROMISES AND IS AGAINST THE INTERESTS OF SERVICE USERS AND FAMILIES
  22. PNA AMBULANCE MEMBERS TO STRIKE FOR SIXTH DAY TOMORROW AND EGM TO CONSIDER FURTHER INDUSTRIAL ACTION IN DEMAND OF RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY THE TRADE UNION OF THEIR CHOICE
  23. PNA AMBULANCE MEMBERS TO HOLD FIFTH DAY OF STRIKE TOMORROW IN DEMAND OF RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY THE TRADE UNION OF THEIR CHOICE
  24. PNA AMBULANCE MEMBERS TO HOLD PROTEST AT DAIL TOMORROW AND ANNOUNCE TWO FURTHER STRIKE DAYS IN DEMAND OF RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY THE TRADE UNION OF THEIR CHOICE.
  25. PNA AMBULANCE BRANCH CAMPAIGN CONTINUES WITH DAIL PROTEST ON WEDNESDAY 27th. MARCH
  26. STATEMENT FROM PSYCHIATRIC NURSES ASSOCIATION (PNA)
  27. PNA SAYS REFUSAL OF HSE TO ATTEND WRC TALKS AHEAD OF AMBULANCE PERSONNEL STRIKE IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND CALLS ON MINISTER HARRIS TO INTERVENE TO RESOLVE DISPUTE
  28. PSYCHIATRIC NURSES VOTE IN FAVOUR OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION IN RESPONSE TO INACTION ON RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CRISIS IN NURSING
  29. PNA AMBULANCE PERSONNEL TO HOLD ONE DAY STRIKE IN ONGOING INDUSTRIAL ACTION ON  RIGHT TO JOIN THE UNION OF THEIR CHOICE
  30. PNA SAYS ONGOING IMPACT OF AMBULANCE PERSONNEL OVERTIME BAN IS PUTTING AMBULANCE SERVICES UNDER STRAIN AND WARNS OF ESCALATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION
  31. PNA TO BALLOT FOR INDUSTRIAL ACTION ON ISSUE OF NURSE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
  32. PNA WARNS OF ONGOING DISRUPTION TO AMBULANCE SERVICES AS OVERTIME BAN CONTINUES INTO SECOND WEEK AND CALLS ON MINISTER HARRIS TO INTERVENE
  33. AMBULANCE PERSONNEL TO COMMENCE OVERTIME BAN FROM TOMORROW (Weds.)  IN DEMAND OF THE RIGHT TO BE REPRESENTED BY PNA UNION
  34. AMBULANCE PERSONNEL PROTEST IN DUBLIN AS INDUSTRIAL DISPUTE ON RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION BY PNA UNION TO ESCALATE
  35. PNA SAYS UP TO 700 NURSING POSTS NOW VACANT ACROSS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES WHILE PAY COMMISSION FAILS TO ADDRESS NURSE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION ISSUE
  36. PNA WELCOMES APPOINTMENT OF NEW ADVANCED NURSE PRACTITIONER POSTS AS IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO ADDRESSING ONGOING CRISIS IN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
  37. ADVANCED NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND NOT ONLINE CONSULTATIONS ARE KEY TO MEETING SOARING DEMANDS FOR CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
  38. PNA WELCOMES HSE DECISION TO REVERSE PLANS TO REDUCE NUMBER OF BEDS IN NEW ACUTE UNIT AT UCHG
  39. Opening Statement from PNA General Secretary , Peter Hughes to the Joint Committee on the Future of Mental Health Care Recruiting Clinicians for Mental Health Services -13th June 2018
  40. PNA SAYS APPOINTMENT OF ADVANCED NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND OPENING OF DAY HOSPITALS ARE KEY TO ADDRESSING GROWING WAITING LISTS FOR ADMISSION TO CAMHS SERVICES
  41. LATEST INCREASE IN CAMHS WAITING LIST EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING AND DEMAND ROLE FOR ADVANCED NURSE PRACTITIONERS IN PROVIDING INITIAL ASSESSMENT FOR SERVICES
  42. PNA ANNUAL CONFERENCE TOLD PAY COMMISSION MUST DELIVER SIGNIFICANT PAY MEASURES TO ADDRESS NURSING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CRISIS IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
  43. INDUSTRIAL ACTION BY PSYCHIATRIC NURSES COMMENCES IN WATERFORD, AND ESCALATES IN KILKENNY, IN RESPONSE TO OVERCROWDING AND STAFF SHORTAGES
  44. INDUSTRIAL ACTION BY PSYCHIATRIC NURSES COMMENCES IN WATERFORD, AND ESCALATES IN KILKENNY, IN RESPONSE TO OVERCROWDING AND STAFF SHORTAGES
  45. PSYCHIATRIC NURSES IN WATERFORD REGION BALLOT TO COMMENCE INDUSTRIAL ACTION IN RESPONSE TO OVERCROWDING AND STAFF SHORTAGES
  46. PSYCHIATRIC NURSES PROTEST IN WATERFORD AND KILKENNY OVER LACK OF SERVICES, UNDERSTAFFING AND OVERCROWDING
  47. LATEST HIQA ARAS ATTRACTA REPORT CONFIRMS EXTENT OF HSE FAILURE TO IMPLEMENT VITAL MANAGEMENT REFORMS
  48. PNA SAYS SEANAD REPORT HIGHLIGHTS AGAIN THE SERIOUS DEFICIENCIES IN CHILD AND ADOLESCENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND CALLS FOR URGENT ACTION TO IMPLEMENT REPORT'S RECOMMENDATIONS
  49. UNACCEPTABLE FOR TWO ADULT ADMISSIONS TO SPEND THE NIGHT ON CHAIRS AT WATERFORD PSYCHIATRIC UNIT - PNA
  50. PNA DEMANDS HSE ACTION IN FOLLOW UP TO DAMNING REVIEW OF ROSCOMMON MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES