Martin Ferris
Ceist:398 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Health and Children the status of the proposed compensation scheme for psychiatric nurses injured in the course of their duties. [26478/03]
Written Answers. - Hospital Staff.
Following discussions with the Psychiatric Nurses Association and SIPTU, I established a task force to investigate the incidence of assaults on psychiatric nurses, with a view to exploring preventative measures to reduce the incidence of such assaults; and as a practical measure, where such assaults have resulted in serious physical and psychological injury, to provide for a compensation scheme for nurses working in the mental health services.
The task force was chaired by Mr. Tom McGrath, former deputy chairman of the Labour Court. Membership of the Task Force included representatives of the relevant nursing unions, PNA and SIPTU, the Health Service Employers Agency, the Department of Health and Children and the Department of Finance.
The task force was given the following terms of reference: to investigate the reasons for such assaults with a view to the putting in place of effective preventative measures; to examine the incidence of assaults on nurses and the level of injury therefrom; to put forward proposals for an appropriate compensation scheme for nurses injured through assault at work, such proposals to have regard to the special position of psychiatric nurses, and to prepare and present a report of its findings and recommendations to the Minister for Health and Children.
The report and its recommendations are currently under active consideration.