Margaret Conlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to have the opportunity to bring to the attention of the House a matter which is of serious concern for constituents in my constituency, namely the provision of day services at the Darley Health Centre in Cootehill. I have had numerous calls about this from concerned persons and from Councillors McCarey, Igoe and Smith in Cootehill.

I, with my Oireachtas colleagues, attended a public meeting in Cootehill on Monday night last where we heard at first hand the concerns of the service users and their families. There were 300 people present, which shows the seriousness with which they took the matter, and they highlighted clearly the benefits which the senior citizens receive from attending the day centre, as it currently exists.

The Darley Health Centre opened its doors to the senior citizens in November 2006 and it continues to provide what is concerned by health professionals and service users and their families to be a service of excellence. Is that not what we all are looking for? I look forward to witnessing this for myself on Friday when I visit the centre, and I would wonder how many local area managers have taken the time out to visit this wonderful facility.

The confusion results from a proposal to look at how day services are delivered in counties Cavan and Monaghan. I believe there has been misinformation or, at best, inaccurate information. This fed the rumour mill and, suddenly, the word was spread that the services are closing on 1 September.

When I contacted the HSE, it confirmed this was not the case. I accept the HSE's statement in good faith, but the services will not be provided in their current form.

Once again, the HSE has been reactive rather than proactive. I am led to believe that service users and service providers were given different information on the same night. This is unacceptable and has led to the current confusion. The users and their families need certainty and clarity. Surely they are entitled to these. I accept that the HSE is considering the introduction of enhanced services at Cootehill, which is certainly deserving of additional services like occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and so on. As a town, it has potential for delivering these services to the people of counties Cavan and Monaghan, but this does not mean the current day services must move.

For those who use the service, the words of praise were high. For many, the social interaction was as important, if not more so, as the other services provided. Many spoke of the benefit of meeting their friends. For many, it was their only opportunity to meet people on a weekly basis. Moving the service and its users to other rural locations would not work. The service would be fragmented and the same quality would not be provided. The Darley unit might become unsustainable. The other units would not be in a position to provide the same level or quality of service with the same expertise.

I watched the recent programme on the treatment of Alzheimer's patients. Many such patients avail of this service. The programme was emotional, but it made clear how any change in routine or venue would have significant consequences for patients. Are we not to put the patients first? If we learned anything from the programme, it was that services of excellence should remain where they are. This is the case in respect of Cootehill.

We need a proper consultation process with service users at its heart. They should continue to receive the same excellent service, which is delivering good outcomes. If it is not broken, it does not need fixing. I would be critical of many other aspects of health care provision and service delivery and action is required in respect of them, so let the HSE focus on fixing them instead of causing confusion, anxiety and worry for elderly people. I do not want the HSE to use this as a reason to prevent the acquisition of new services in Cootehill. The services can be located in the new premises.

The complete breakdown in communication must be remedied with immediate effect. It is unfair to all stakeholders, including those providing the new premises. They have invested time and money and adapted the premises to suit the HSE, but they have been treated unfairly. It is time for honest, frank and open communication between all stakeholders. Only then will a satisfactory solution be found. I look forward to the Minister of State's reply.

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