Maire Devine (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for her attendance. On behalf of the nurses, midwives, medics and health care staff, I welcome the Minister of State to her post and hope to work collaboratively with her and the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris. I am raising the issue of the pending first phase of industrial action next week by the Psychiatric Nurses Association. I ask the Minister of State to intervene.

The dispute concerns the 30% shortage of psychiatric nursing staff, which means there are no community services and a chaotic health care system in our inpatient units. According to A Vision for Change, the community input has not been implemented but that is for tomorrow's debate. In fact, more than 75% of its recommendations have not been implemented. The approved centres which are the inpatient centres need to be staffed so there is nobody in the community to carry out modern health care services for our people, taking us from the Victorian age to fit-for-purpose services for the young, the old and new-borns. There is not one mother and baby bed in the entire country for women. Post natal depression or post natal psychosis, which has a huge impact on the nurturing and bonding of mother and child is prevalent among women.

I am aware the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, is meeting the Psychiatric Nurses Association tomorrow with a view to implementing A Vision for Change. I hope the Minister of State can intervene and set out a meaningful programme to build up our staff to stop the chaos in our hospitals and the overcrowding where beds are booked 120% of the time. When somebody is sent on therapeutic leave and is doing well they are telephoned on Sunday and asked not to come back and then somebody else is taking the bed.However, they are all registered as using that one bed. We need the sharing of bunk beds at this stage. I would appreciate the input of the Minister of State in that regard. We need to bring our nurses home from abroad and respect them and give patients the quality of care they deserve.