Ivan Yates
Ceist:30 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Health the plans, if any, he has to protect members of the nursing profession in view of an increase in the number of reported assaults on nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Safety of Nursing Staff.
Liz O'Donnell
Ceist:40 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Health his views on the escorting of psychiatric patients in the context of the report by Dr. Liam Hannifey on a stabbing incident last summer involving members of SIPTU and the PNA; and if he will publish new guidelines on the escorting of psychiatric patients and related matters.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 30 and 40 together.
I am concerned to ensure the safety of nursing staff, and indeed all personnel working in the health services. I was therefore alarmed at the two recent incidents involving psychiatric nurses. On 9 July last, three psychiatric nurses were assaulted while endeavouring to escort a psychiatric patient to St. Ita's Hospital, Portrane, County Dublin. On the weekend of 16 October 1993, three psychiatric nurses were also attacked by intruders in the grounds of St. Brendan's Hospital.
I have asked the Eastern Health Board for a report on the latter incident. Concerning the incident of 9 July, I requested the assistant inspector of mental hospitals to investigate the circumstances surrounding the assault and to make recommendations in relation to the escort of psychiatric patients. The assistant inspector recently submitted to me his report on the incident. He concluded that the assault in question falls into a one in a million category and its extraordinary rarity must in no way be used to put any escort procedure in place that would take from the dignity of patients, increase the unease of the already traumatised relatives, increase the likelihood of danger to escorts or diminish the professionalism of psychiatric nurses.
Discussions have since taken place between the assistant inspector, officials of my Department and the Garda Síochána to discuss the legal responsibilities in relation to escorting patients. The constraints of the current legal framework were discussed and it was agreed that legal changes were necessary to provide more suitable arrangements for escorting patients to psychiatric hospitals. Proposals for new mental health legislation are currently being prepared in my Department and will include new provisions in relation to escorting psychiatric patients.
As a result of the assistant inspector's report and my meetings with the unions involved, my Department wrote to each health board on 12 October requesting various steps be taken to ensure the safety of nurses engaged on escort duty. On 26 October, officials from my Department met with union representatives to inform them of the outcome of the assistant inspector's report and of the steps taken to ensure the greater safety of psychiatric nurses on escort duty.
I will be meeting the union representatives myself in the near future and I hope in the light of the assistant inspector's report and the action I have taken, that psychiatric nurses will feel assured of their safety.