HSE West hires retired staff as nurses emigrate to find work

There is outrage over the HSE’s decision to recruit retired staff to assist with the transfers of psychiatric beds from Ballinasloe to University Hospital in Galway – at a time when newly trained psychiatric nurses in Galway are preparing to emigrate to find work.

The move to bring back retired nursing staff – some who have not worked for ten years – is to be raised in the Dail with the Minister for Health.

It is understood the eleven retired employees will be hired for a three month period as the HSE embark on the closure of the brand new €3.1 million acute psychiatric unit in Ballinasloe.

It has drawn a furious reaction from the Psychiatric Nurses Association who described it as “an absolute disgrace”.

Joe Treacy of the PNA told The Connacht Tribune that there former workers were on substantial pensions as well as having received gratuities on their retirement while young trained nurses were hopping on planes in the hope of getting work abroad.

“This is just window dressing on the part of the HSE. They are trying to convey the impression that the unit in Galway will be well staffed when this is just a temporary little arrangement.

“But it shows scant regard for the many psychiatric nurses in Galway who have just completed their training and have to source work abroad”, Mr. Treacy added.

Phase one of the process to shut down the 22-bed unit at St Brigid’s Hospital, Ballinasloe, began yesterday with the transfer of five inpatient beds to UHG.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.