Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which provides me with an opportunity to update the House. The Government is committed to supporting 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 this is appropriate and we continue to develop and improve health services in all regions of the country and to ensure quality and patient safety.

The Health Service Executive, HSE, has sole operational responsibility for the delivery of health and social services, including those at facilities such as Loughloe House. This institution is a former welfare home located in Athlone, which shares its site with day services for older persons in the area. The Deputy will appreciate that all developments have to be addressed in light of the current economic and budgetary pressures. The executive has been asked to make a rigorous examination of how existing funding might be reconfigured or reallocated to ensure maximum service provision is achieved. In particular, we need to ensure the highest standard of care will continue to be provided to all patients in a safe and secure environment. Any decisions, therefore, taken by the executive must have regard to the current budgetary position and the current moratorium on the recruitment of nursing and non-nursing staff.

As a welfare home, Loughloe House once accommodated up to 40 patients of lower dependency. In recent times, given the increasing dependency of clients and other challenges, the numbers of residents fell to 25. The longest resident has been there for 14 years while the most recent arrival was a year ago. The home is one of two long-stay facilities in Athlone. The second is St. Vincent's community nursing unit, CNU, which is situated in the town centre. They are, therefore, relatively close to each other. There are approximately 60 residents in St. Vincent's CNU. There is one management structure for the two units.

At a broad strategic level, the overall plan for HSE services in Athlone had been to transfer all services to the Clonbrusk area of the town, where lands were purchased by the Midland Health Board in 1999. This would have allowed the proposed Clonbrusk campus to become the hub for HSE service delivery in Athlone. This plan would have facilitated the closure of Loughloe House as well as allowing several other premises to be vacated. In anticipation of these plans, spending on existing infrastructure, including both Loughloe House and St. Vincent's, was limited in recent years.

Given the current financial constraints, the anticipated developments at Clonbrusk have been curtailed and the construction of a new community nursing unit on the site has been postponed for the foreseeable future. As a result, both Loughloe House and St. Vincent's face significant challenges in meeting the necessary HIQA requirements and standards, given the design, age and condition of the two buildings. Loughloe House has been inspected by HIQA. Numerous concerns were raised in the inspection process both in regard to the physical infrastructure and to management-staffing issues. Concerns also exist regarding the fire safety precautions at the home.

With these considerations in mind, the HSE has decided it has no option but to proceed with the orderly, phased closure of Loughloe House. The executive has no intention, at this time, of closing St. Vincent's and it is working towards ensuring compliance with HIQA's standards. There will be a consultation process with Loughloe House residents and their families with a view to organising transfers into private or public nursing homes in the surrounding area. This consultation was scheduled to take place around this time. The overall level of provision of long stay beds in the Longford-Westmeath local health office area will remain adequate to meet patients' needs. There are sufficient vacancies to cater for the residents of Loughloe House.

The safety of the residents is our first concern and we owe them a duty of care. I am sure this House will agree that quality care and patient safety comes first and all patients should receive the same high standard of quality assured care. Unfortunately, due to the current industrial action, this was the most up to date information available as of 29 April 2010. I regret that I do not have more information but if the Deputy wishes to raise this matter with me again, I will endeavour to have the matter re-examined at that stage.

The Deputy asked about the inspections. There is a mixture of announced and unannounced inspections.

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