Concern over impact of bed closures

REACTION:THE SCALE of the financial challenge facing the Health Service Executive makes a reduction in services unavoidable, Minister for Health James Reilly has said.

Fianna Fáil and groups representing the elderly expressed concern over the impact of bed closures on older people.

Dr Reilly said the service plan committed the HSE to minimising the impact on services by fast- tracking new, innovative and more efficient ways of using reduced resources.

He said it also reflected the need to move to new models of care across all service areas which would see patients treated at the lowest level of complexity and provided with quality services at the least possible cost.

He said it also included “a commitment to addressing staffing levels, skill mix and staff attendance patterns/rosters within the context of the Public Service Agreement”.

“The need for radical change in our health services has been apparent since the Celtic Tiger days of excess,” he said.

Fianna Fáil spokesman on children Charlie McConalogue described elements of the plan as “drastic and shocking” and expressed concern about the closure of beds in community nursing units.

“There is no justification for the closure of these beds or the ‘small number of units’ which will be considered for total closure this year as outlined in the service plan.

“There is a lot of focus today on the prospect of a minimum of 555 beds closing but the service plan approved by Minister Reilly actually allows for a maximum of 898 beds to be closed across the country.

“It is an appalling way to treat the elderly, most of whom regard these community facilities as their home.”

Mr McConalogue said the plan would increase waiting times for procedures. “In conjunction with the Special Delivery Unit, the HSE will ensure no one will wait longer than nine months, whereas before Minister Reilly decided to cut the National Treatment Purchase Fund, the average waiting time for procedures was just three months.”

Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said the group was concerned about the impact the cuts would have on older people.

“The loss of so many public beds and the scale of the cuts in the home-help service provided by the HSE will undoubtedly be felt by the sickest of older people.”

Patricia Conboy, director of Older Bolder, said she was deeply concerned at plans to close up to 600 beds in community nursing units.