In 1990, the Labour Court recommended that the South Eastern Health Board pay £2,500 to a nursing officer after changing the long-standing night-duty arrangement at St. Declan's Unit without first agreeing the change with him. The recommendation was signed on 21 November 1990.
The Services Industrial Professional Technical Union sought compensation for lost income after the Board began rotating night duty among nursing officers. The Court said the Board could assign staff as service needs required, but had to treat affected staff fairly. The officer had worked permanent nights for six years, as previous holders of the role had since 1949, so it was reasonable for him to expect the arrangement to continue. The Court said arrangements should have been agreed with him first, and later representations had gone unanswered.