Dáil debates

Tuesday, 22 September 2009

 

Hospital Services.

9:00 pm

Photo of Jack WallJack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

I am grateful for the opportunity to raise this important and urgent issue for all senior citizens in Kildare and west Wicklow in receipt of care at St. Vincent's Hospital, Athy, County Kildare. The closure of a ward in any hospital due to cutbacks in hospital budgets creates problems for its community, hospital personnel, patients and their families. When the closure affects a hospital that cares for senior citizens, such as St. Vincent's, it creates a larger problem as all the patients affected tend to be long-stay and very accustomed to their surroundings.

I have first-hand knowledge of the care and attention given at St. Vincent's as my mother is a long-term patient there. I acknowledge and appreciate the wonderful care given to the patients and attention to their families by the staff of the facility. Since my mother became a patient there, I have seen the advances made in the provision of extra facilities and care. Many of the facilities have been provided by the dedicated fund-raising works of the director and assistant director of nursing with voluntary groups. Gardens and walks have been created with many internal building improvement works to the benefit of the patients and their families. All are to be congratulated on this work.

The HSE, however, has determined the closure of wards in the hospital system is the answer to its financial woes. Places of excellence, such as St. Vincent's Hospital, will suffer and many senior citizens will not be able to avail of respite care. Is the HSE aware that reducing facilities or closing wards will deprive those who built this nation of their God-given right to care in their old age? The answer is patently clear. It is a book-keeping exercise where money counts and lives do not matter.

If a patient seeks palliative, respite or long-term care in St. Vincent's through the HSE application system or a GP, will they be refused the request by hospital management because of a decision by the HSE? What logic can be applied to the actions of the HSE in this regard?

The old adage, why change it if it works well, is very appropriate to this case. The hospital works well in the Kildare and west Wicklow health system. It is recognised by everyone in and outside of its catchment area as an excellent brand product that could evolve to even greater services by advancing all of its sectors, such as Alzheimer's, long-term and respite care. However, the HSE stymies progress, frustrates staff, worries patients and their families all for the reduction of the HSE financial budget.

The care of our loved ones should be beyond such budgets. The care and attention given in St. Vincent's Hospital is for what we pay our taxes. The HSE at executive level has no feel for the St. Vincent's of this world. In reality, it would rather see them closed and the service privatised than having the initiative to develop such facilities further as could easily be done at the St. Vincent's campus in Athy. The Minister for Health and Children has no other objective than privatisation as can be seen in many of the proposals that come from her Department.

Will the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, speak to the Minister for Health and Children on this matter? I note she again is absent from the Chamber. She never attends Adjournment debate matters on health services. That is not meant to be a reflection on the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary. I want the Minister of State to seek an assurance from the Minister that St. Vincent's will retain all of its facilities and that the closed ward will be re-opened to facilitate the many senior citizens from the catchment area who seek a place there. Anything else is unacceptable and the anger this closure has created will be noted when the people of South Kildare march in protest this Saturday.

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