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Psychiatric nurses at University Hospital Galway will begin industrial action next week in a bid to ensure a safer environment for staff and patients at the hospital's acute psychiatric unit.

An unprecedented number of assaults on nurses at University Hospital Galway’s acute psychiatric unit in the past four months was at the centre of their decision to refuse to go on duty yesterday (Wednesday) morning at 7.30am. At the time of going to press night staff had remained on duty to run the service in the interim.

Record numbers attending UHG’s emergency department this week has put “unprecedented” pressure on services, according to a nursing union spokesperson. There were 34 people awaiting beds on Monday, 13 were on trolleys and 17 were inappropriately accommodated in wards on Tuesday while the figures for Wednesday were the same.

A leading nursing union boss has branded the current overcrowding situation at University Hospital Galway’s emergency department as “critical” and “very dangerous” for frontline workers trying to provide safe care for patients.

Keeping St Francis’ public nursing home open may be one of the keys to alleviating the overcrowding crisis at UHG’s emergency department, says a nursing union official.