The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
COURT RULES ON DEER LODGE MOVE
PSYCHIATRIC NURSES TO STUDY RULING AHEAD OF MEETING ON THURSDAY
THE Labour Court has reached a binding recommendation in the long-running dispute between the HSE and psychiatric nurses over proposed staffing arrangements at Deer Lodge in Killarney.
The 40-bed mental health unit was completed in 2015 at a cost of €13 million and is set to revolutionise the quality of care in the sector in the county.
However, it remains closed amid a bitter dispute between psychiatric nurses and HSE management over proposals on staffing in the new centre. Prospective residents meanwhile continue living in the O’Connor Unit - an ageing building on the grounds of the old St Finan’s Hospital that was sharply criticised by the Mental Health Commission in a report last month.
The HSE Community Healthcare Organisation for Cork and Kerry this week welcomed the latest development in the ongoing dispute with nurses. The court found that ‘the most efficient way forward is for the staff to move to the new facility with immediate effect under the terms of the WRC proposal of April 18.’
The HSE referred the issue to the Labour Court after both sides failed to reach an agreement before the Workplace Relations Commission. Psychiatric Nurses are deeply concerned over the nurse/assistant nurse ratio the HSE is proposing to staff the Deer Lodge Unit.
The Kerryman understands that members of the Psychiatric Nurses’ Association - one of the main unions involved in the dispute - are now studying the court recommendation ahead of a meeting on Thursday night. No decision to accept or reject the finding will issue before that meeting.
The HSE however believes its staffing proposals will deliver a high quality of care for residents
“We have been and remain confident that the staffing ratio we have proposed will ensure that residents will receive a high standard of care,” a spokesperson for the HSE Community Healthcare Organisation said.
“The opening of Deer Lodge will mean that there will be an overall increase of eight beds in Mental Health Services in Kerry, and there will be a corresponding increase in staff number of 28.5. In terms of the ratio of staff to residents, there will be a total of 65.46 WTE (whole time equivalents) for 40 residents.
“This €13 million facility is of huge importance to the local people who need to access mental health services in Kerry. Above all, opening Deer Lodge will be a tremendous move for the people currently living in the outdated and entirely unsuitable O’Connor Unit,” they added.
The HSE is now working on setting a date for the opening of the facility.
“We will work to identify the earliest feasible opening date and we will let staff and their unions know about this opening date as quickly as possible.”