Nurses reject LRC proposals over psychiatric unit at Cork Hospital

Members of the Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA) nurses have voted by 80% against acceptance of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) proposals for the staffing of a new Acute Psychiatric Unit at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

PNA General Secretary Des Kavanagh said the fact that nurses had rejected the LRC proposals reflected the depth of concern among nurses about staffing for the new unit.

The decision was taken despite the offer of incentives that would have made 17 temporary staff permanent and regularised the position of 12 staff in acting higher posts.

“The HSE needs to take on board the genuine concerns of nurses reflected in this ballot result and come back with serious proposals that meet the demand for additional staffing for the CUH unit before it, and the High Observation Unit, can open and serve the purpose for which they were built,” he said.