Groups representing mental health patients have called for a speedy resolution to the ongoing psychiatric nurses' dispute.
John Saunders, Chief Executive of Schizophrenia Ireland, says the dispute is hurting both patients and their families and an escalation of the action would present an increased risk to the health of patients.
Brian Howard, Chief Executive of Mental Health Ireland, says the longer the dispute goes on the worse it will become for patients.
The row, which involves up to 7,000 nurses who are members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association and SIPTU, centres on a new Health Service Executive compensation scheme for psychiatric nurses assaulted during their work. The unions say the scheme is totally inadequate.
Unions say the impact of their overtime ban has also highlighted staff shortages in wards.
So far services at a number of acute psychiatric and community care facilities have been impacted by the dispute.
The HSE has said the action is unnecessary and unfair to patients. A spokesperson said a number of acute psychiatric units continue to be affected by the ongoing PNA/SIPTU work-to-rule.
The Lakeview Unit in Naas and psychiatric services at Tallaght Hospital are the worst hit.
The HSE will this evening establish an incident room, where senior managers will monitor and assess the impact on patient services.
The spokesman added that the psychiatric nurses' action, in pursuit of a monetary objective, is unjustified.
Currently the nurses are refusing to work overtime, refusing to attend non-essential meetings and refusing to accompany patients to mental health tribunals.
Tomorrow, union delegates will meet to decide whether to escalate the action. This would involve nurses refusing to be deployed from community care settings to keep acute psychiatric services running.
