HSE says move is necessary because facility will not meet new standards, writes MARTIN WALL
NURSES CLAIM that moves by the HSE to close a long-term 80-bed care facility in Co Dublin will be “devastating” for significant numbers of patients.
The HSE said yesterday that St Brigid’s Home, Crooksling, Brittas, Co Dublin, will have a phased closure over the next three to six months. It said the decision was made because the facility would not meet standards set by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).
The HSE statement came after the closure was revealed yesterday by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO). The INMO said it would be devastating news to a significant number of patients and their families and would have a serious effect on hospitals in Dublin who have transferred patients no longer requiring acute treatment to St Brigid’s for longer-term care.
The INMO said that Tallaght Hospital could be particularly hard hit by the closure. The union said that there were currently over 60 patients in Tallaght who were medically discharged “but will now have no place to go”.
INMO industrial relations officer, Derek Reilly, said: “St Brigid’s should be maintained and resources provided to ensure it has a viable future.”
The HSE said that, in consideration of the requirements for registration by HIQA, “it has become apparent that the facilities at St Brigid’s, Crooksling, will not meet the required standards and therefore a decision has been made to close the unit”.
It said that there were currently 80 residents and that yesterday it initiated an engagement and consultation process with these as well as with families and staff.
“The selection of an alternative placement will be governed by the wishes and needs of each resident and it is the intention that each family will be given the opportunity and time to discuss the options that will be available. The transfer will consider the options that will be available for each resident, preferences of the resident and their family, the proximity of the identified nursing unit to the relatives and the wishes and needs of residents. In addition, a liaison person will be appointed for the transition to support the families/carers of the residents.
“The HSE proposes to transfer the majority of the residents and staff to the new modern purpose-built unit at Hollybrook Community Nursing Unit, Inchicore, which has a bed capacity of 50. In addition other units in the Dublin Mid Leinster HSE region will be identified for the transfer of both residents and staff.”
The HSE said residents would not be placed in a “more costly financial position” because of the move. It said consultation with staff regarding their redeployment would be carried out under the terms of the Croke Park agreement. This allows staff to be moved up to 45kms.