Once again, we are experiencing a recruitment and retention crisis in both mental health and intellectual disability nursing. This was confirmed following a national survey of branches which revealed over 700 vacancies in the Mental Health Services. Since the decline of the COVID pandemic services are now experiencing a very high level of nurses emigrating to Australia and Canada in particular.  Nurses, who were eligible to retire and who stayed on to support services are now retiring. 

Regional reps are committed in dealing with personal issues for members with the assistance of Industrial Relations Officers covering each CHO area as an integral part of our structures. The importance of a local branch cannot be understated as this provides a strong basis for local service developments and continuing quality care. The PNA are also committed to the Continuing Professional Development of its members. In this regard and with the forward vision of Aisling Culhane, Research and Development Officer who in collaboration with the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery RCSI have provided the many webinars and CPD programs through the PNA/College of Professional Development.

I attended the PNA Branch officials Training in October this year in Co. Cork. This was my second time attending this training as I had previously attended a few years ago pre-covid. This year there was a smaller group than previously but that didn’t have any impact on the training. I found it a very interesting, informative and enjoyable two days. The presentations and content that was covered was beneficial to someone like me, who has been a branch official for a number of years but is still picking up so much from these training days. I found there was a number of things that I had picked up this time that I hadn’t taken from the training the previous time I attended. These training dates are a great way of gaining knowledge in industrial relation matters, staffing issues, trust in care issues as well as a way of networking and getting to know colleague’s in other areas. The role play I found very helpful as it was good to see a grievance meeting played out in front of us and how as branch officials we can support our members that we represent.  I would encourage anyone that would like to be more involved in the union to attend this training when it runs again as it is a great way of understanding the role of a branch official, discuss and become familiar with various industrial relation issues and meet the officer board and other members of the PNA.There might even be a little sing song if you wait up late enough 

St Patricks Mental Services Inaugural Nursing Symposium Day 2022

St Patricks Mental Services held its first Nursing Symposium Day in early December. This was a fantastic day which was open to all nurses in St Patricks both in person and online.

The day highlighted all the good work that is being done in St Patricks Mental Health Services by the nursing department and acted as an educational piece to staff who may have interests in particular areas like quality initiatives, delivery of care and nursing research

The Nursing Symposium Day was delivered Nurse Speakers from within St Patricks Mental Health Services who presented on 3 core themes for the Day.

These were:

1. Delivery of Nursing Services in St Patricks Mental Health Services
2. Nursing Quality Initiatives in St Patricks Mental Health Services
3. Nursing Research in St Patricks Mental Health Services

Nursing Research in St Patricks Mental Health Services

The SPMHS/TCD Nursing Collaborative Research Initiative is into its fourth year. It provides support for nurses working in St. Patrick’s Mental Health Services who are interested in conducting Nurse led practised based research. The initiative facilitates collaborative research between the nurses and academics from the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Trinity College. Recent publications include

• Corrigan, M., Curran, M., Donohue, G. Kirwan, S, Keogh, B (2022) The transition of a Mental Health Facility to a COVID-19 isolation ward and unit for delivery of remote inpatient mental health care. British Journal of Mental Health Nursing
• Farrington, A., King, M., Donohue, G & McCann, E (2022) "The experiences of mental health nurses working through COVID-19: An analysis of long-term support needs" British Journal of Mental Health Nursing.
• King, M., Farrington, A., Donohue, G., & McCann, E. (2022). Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health Nurses. Issues in mental health nursing, 43(4), 300–307. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2021.1978598

THE PROTECT STUDY

Colleagues from Trinity College have asked us to assist in circulating the detail of this new study .THE PROTECT STUDY .Please feel free to take the survey and/or circulate the link to anyone within your network who might be interested in taking part, as we would like to hear from people aged 18 years and older with lived experience of taking/ stopping psychiatric medicines, family members, friends, carers/supporters, and healthcare professionals.

The focus of the study is to determine  the Top 10 priorities (i.e., unanswered questions) for future research on reducing and stopping psychiatric medicines (sometimes called tapering). The PROTECT study will use a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) to determine the Top 10 priorities (i.e., unanswered questions) for future research on reducing and stopping psychiatric medicines (sometimes called tapering). The study will involve an active collaboration with key stakeholder groups (people aged 18 years and older with lived experience of taking/ stopping psychiatric medicines, family members, friends, carers/supporters, and healthcare professionals). This will help to shape the research agenda and allow future research to focus on the questions that are most important to key stakeholders.  As key members of the mental health team, please have your questions heard. The survey will take you about 5 minutes to complete. To read more about the study and take part click on the following link

The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) has published a new data report, the State of the Register 2022, providing a breakdown of the number of nurses and midwives registered in Ireland. All nurses and midwives who wish to practise in Ireland must be registered with NMBI.

This data is provided by NMBI as information for policymakers and the public, and to inform workforce planning models. It has been made possible by the digitisation of NMBI’s Register, including the application and annual renewal processes. 

Further information on registration figures and statistics can be found by viewing the full report here

To gather the information for this seminal report, ICN, with the assistance of mental health nursing experts from across the globe, including Horatio European Psychiatric Nurses developed a survey which was completed by mental health nurses, specialist mental health organisations, ministries of health, and experts in the area of mental health across 44 low-, middle- and high-income countries with all regions represented.

Respondents to the ICN survey indicated that there are multiple reasons why there are insufficient numbers of mental health nurses, including poor planning and regulatory environments, limited incentives to pursue a career in mental health; inadequate education preparation; the lack of reward and recognition and the lingering stigma attached to mental health.

ICN estimates that there are approximately 300,000 mental health nurses across the world, but this varies vastly across regions, ranging from just 0.9 mental health nurse per 100,000 population in Africa to 25.2 per 100,000 in Europe. This report provides an analysis of the mental health nursing workforce and looks at ways to build the workforce, including educational preparation, retention and recruitment

A review of Building Momentum  2020-2022 was conducted in the summer of 2022 in accordance with Section 5.7 of the agreement in acknowledgement of the inflationary pressures that have evolved over the period of the agreement in a manner that was not anticipated in late 2020.

The proposals from the review were put to ballot in late September, early October, and were decisively ratified by the members. The agreement is extended to 31^st December 2023.

The following pay adjustments will apply in addition to the existing pay terms in Building Momentum 2020-2022:

• • • An increase in annualised basic salaries for public servants of 3% on 2 February 2022.
    • An increase in annualised basic salaries for public servants of 2% on 1 March 2023
    • An increase in annualised basic salaries for public servants of 1.5% or €750, whichever is greater, on 1 October 2023.

Horatio colleagues will meet in March 2023 in Malta. The title of the conference “Reuniting Mental Health Nurses -Sharing Experiences, Cultivating Knowledge” tells it all; it is time to meet friends and colleagues from different countries and to share our experiences, ideas and developments. Our aim is to make it a friendly, welcoming conference for all, and in Malta Alexei and his colleagues really know how to do it. https://www.horatiocongress2023.com/

In support of Mental Health Europe MHE collaborative approach core values of co-creation and Activity plan 2022 and 2023 activities related to the co-creation work area starting in 2022. The following has been already implemented:

- Establishment of an MHE Co-creation Task Force consisting of representatives of the diverse MHE membership

- Training for MHE staff and members in co-creation methodology

The Taskforce will contribute to the delivery of the following activities:

1.       Development of glossary on mental health terminology planned for 2022-2023

2.       First draft of guidelines on co-creation in mental health.

The PARC Project (Positive Advanced Recovery Connections) won the Mental Health Initiative of the Year in the Irish Healthcare Awards. The PARC Project was as a direct response to the increased rates of mental health problems in Ireland, unfortunately expected to have further spiked following the Covid-19 pandemic. The PARC Project developed an integrated way to manage and combat this serious social issue. The PARC project is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner initiative supported by the consultant psychiatrists and the community mental health team.  The benefits of Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner (RANP) clinics is that they provide full episodes of care. These specialist clinics allow for RANP psychosocial assessment and access to mental health nursing interventions without having to access the secondary care service. Both the psychosocial assessment and mental health nursing interventions are 100% recommended and have a high level of quantitative and qualitative satisfaction. Where required patients are seamlessly diverted into secondary care for CMHT care via the RANP. This has resulted in the elimination of waiting lists at the pilot site. The award gives recognition to the importance of implementing best international practice in mental healthcare. The PARC Project has been collecting data since inception to evidence its impact in practice Special Congratulations to Ann Cunningham Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner  Bray Mental Health Services 

Left Dr Edyta Truszkowska, Middle me Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner Mental Health, Marion Pink Candidate Advanced Nurse Practitioner – permission granted

To be honoured as the recipient of the Gantley Award in 2022 is a breath taking moment.   The founding members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association fought so hard with integrity to make this union a voice for fairness for staff and service users.

3 colleagues were seriously assaulted in 2016 despite nearly 40 incident forms flagging the risk. These assaults should not have happened. Staff safety and patient safety were ignored.  I wrote to the Health and Safety Authority in the hope that Mental Health Services would be shown their risk management was inadequate. A landmark prosecution occurred in 2022.  I knew that I would be supported by the PNA as our Union cares about staff and service users. It is a privilege to have my name on the Gantley Award alongside people who contributed so much to making conditions for staff and service users better. Thank  you to Mrs Mary Gantley for her foresight in promoting the award.

Mental Health Ireland are delighted to announce that applications for our Kevin Plunkett Award 2022/23 are now open !

This Award aims to recognise the work of Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPN) working throughout Ireland and celebrate and support the projects and initiatives contributed by these individuals. These may include Mental Health Promotion, Co-Production, Facilitating Recovery, Service Quality, Innovation and Improvement Public Understanding or Community Engagement.

Awards may be utilised to advance; Further Education / Training / Research / facilitate Educational Travel / Study / Conference attendance / Innovate / Pilot projects (small scale).

The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act (2015) is about supporting decision-making and maximising a person’s capacity to make decisions. This Act applies to everyone and is relevant to all health and social care services. The act says that everyone is presumed to be able to decide for themselves unless the opposite is shown. The new law sets out ways to support people who lack capacity to make decisions. The new assisted decision-making act moves away from a ‘best interests’ approach for people who need support with decision making.It is a move to a rights-based approach to decision making with respect for the will and preference of the person.

The establishment of an Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery was agreed following the 2019 Nursing Dispute, with the purpose of carrying out an extensive examination of the nursing and midwifery professions.

17. After 5 Years in the post of an IRO what advice would you give to someone stepping into this role and the big shoes you left for them to fill.

1. Firstly, you should enjoy it and grasp the role. I always said it was an honour and a privilege to work in such a role. The exposure and the experience you will get as an IRO in the PNA is second to none. You will get exposure and experience at National Level, at Local Level and at Regional Levels. You will get to form key relationships at all those levels.

As per  announcement by Health Minister, Stephen Donnelly on the 13th December the following additional supports for student nurses have been outlined:

• An enhanced Travel and Subsistence Scheme for student nurses in years 1 to 3 of their studies will see each receive €500 per year as a targeted measure to contribute towards meeting the extra costs of meals associated with practice placements outside the student’s core placement site.
• A new rate of €80 for overnight accommodation is being introduced, along with an increased weekly cap of €300, for those students who require accommodation away from their normal place of residence while attending practice placements. This weekly cap is three times the cap introduced on 1st January 2022, and almost six times the previous cap.
• Student nurses and midwives can also avail of, on a vouched basis, the reasonable cost of uniform laundry services during periods of overnight accommodation.
• Pay will be re-instated at 80% of first year staff nurse/midwife pay scale, for internship students.
• Two additional uniforms for student nurses and midwives at the start of their internship.

For student nurses and midwives on their final year internship as per the McHugh report their salary will be reinstated to 80% of the first point of the staff nurse scale.

The PNA are also seeking an early engagement with the DOH to clarify the details and implementation processes surrounding the detail of this announcement.

The strategic alliance with the Psychiatric Nurses and the Faculty of Nursing and midwifery RCSI  continues to deliver innovative continuing professional development (CPD) programmes under the leadership of Aisling Culhane, Research and Development Advisor, at the PNA and Catherine Clune Mulvaney, Operations and Education Manager, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery RCSI

This November, Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) is launching its second Breast Health Assessment initiative, under the banner of ‘Pink Power’, for eligible members of its Salary Protection Scheme. For males, the ‘Blue Power’ programme, a Prostate assessment, will also be available**.

The potentially life-saving prostate and breast health assessment & education programme was built in response to a high level of cancer claims in the Scheme. The ultimate goal is to promote awareness and early detection to help save lives.

Colleagues,

As we draw to the close of 2022 and take an opportunity to look back at the year that was, I believe, for the most part, the PNA has experienced a very successful twelve months which saw history being made with the opening of the National Forensic Mental Health Service in Portrane and the closure of the gates of Central Mental Hospital Dundrum. A move from a Victorian era building to a state of the art facility is a welcome development for our services and service users. Elsewhere, the long awaited differential pay was returned to promotional grades in recent weeks, our PNA full time officials participated in lengthy negotiations for the public service pay agreement, Building Momentum Extension, resulting in pay rises for our members. We have also continued, as we always will, to support our members, as necessary, at a local and national level.

On behalf of the Officer Board of the PNA, I would like to thank our staff for their ongoing dedication to the organisation and their continuing passion to enhance mental health nursing and improve our working conditions. To our Branch Officers and Committee members throughout the country, thank you all for the commitment and support you continue to provide to our association and to all our members, I wish you and your families a happy, peaceful Christmas and a prosperous 2023.

Nollaig Shona.

Colette Walsh,

National Chairperson,