Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I am taking these Adjournment matters on behalf of the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. I thank both Deputies Sherlock and Sheehan for raising these issues which provides me with an opportunity to update the House on these recent decisions and outline the background and the action taken by the Health Service Executive. I also want to reassure the older people concerned, and their families, about the future of their care.

The Government's policy for older people is to support people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Where this is not feasible, the health service supports access to quality long-term residential care where appropriate. Health services in all regions continue to be developed and improved and quality and patient safety are ensured.

The Health Service Executive has operational responsibility for the delivery of health and social services, including those at facilities such as Heatherside, north Cork, and St. Columbanus Home, Killarney. The executive is working on an action plan to prioritise a phased programme of refurbishment and replacement of existing public homes, where necessary, to meet the proposed new national standards for residential care facilities for older people. Ongoing reviews are essential to ensuring resources are properly channelled and the changing needs of older people are suitably addressed. The executive continues to address infrastructural deficits to meet standards, together with health and safety and fire requirements.

Heatherside is a facility for older adults with enduring mental health issues located remotely in Doneraile, north Cork, but serving the needs of the South Lee population. Staffed by general trained nurses with support from the South Lee mental health team, the current facility falls short of the requirements to meet residential care standards and would require significant and ongoing capital investment to meet fire and safety standards. Heatherside is no longer able to provide appropriate services due to the increasing levels of dependency of its residents. The executive proposes to relocate this service to more appropriate modern accommodation in St. Stephen's Hospital Campus, Sarsfield Court, Cork.

The relocation will provide a higher quality of service to the residents. The majority of these, with a small number of exceptions, originated from the South Lee catchment area. Only two of the existing 42 residents are from the north Cork area, with the remaining 40 from South Lee. The number of residents in Heatherside has decreased from 130 in 1992, to 80 in 2000 and 42 in 2009. There have been no recent admissions and a significant number of families have refused the option of admission to Heatherside on the basis of its location in north Cork. St. Stephen's is closer and much more accessible to residents, their families, relatives and friends. In addition, access to and support from specialist services in South Lee for residents and staff will be much improved.

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