Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will address with the Minister of State the important issue of hospice services in the four midlands counties - Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath. Hospice services are struggling in those four counties. We have excellent local hospice committees and local hospice groups. The problem is that those groups are carrying a significant proportion of the burden of trying to provide services.

At present, we do not have enough specialist support staff in the community, such as support nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. We have no inpatient level 3 services. There is a small amount of inpatient level 2 services in the region. Despite being one of the top five areas prioritised by the HSE in 2009 for such a level 3 service, it still has not been provided and the only option is for beds in acute hospital care settings to be used. This option does not come cheap.

As the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, will be aware, this is causing problems in the system. It is costing a lot of money. No money is being saved by having patients remaining in acute hospitals who should not be in them. Not having the hospice inpatient unit is costing money. In the midlands regional hospitals in Mullingar, Tullamore and Portlaoise, an average of 6,411 bed days a year are being used for palliative care. The lack of a hospice level 3 unit in the region to take those persons is causing a significant problem. Home care nurses, social workers and staff are being funded by local hospice groups. There is no day care service. Such a service one day per week would be excellent, if we could have it. I ask the Minister of State to look at the Cuisle centre in Portlaoise as one venue that could be considered in that regard.

Our region has the lowest investment in palliative care of all the regions in the country. In the mid-west region and the north-west region, on average €30 per capitais being used to provide palliative care whereas in the midlands it is less than €9. The 2007 figures are the most recent ones available but I am told by those monitoring it that there has been little variation in it since. As a result, the region has the highest rate of cancer deaths in acute hospitals. Although it is a morbid subject to be talking about, those near the end of life wish to die at home.

A 2001 report from the national advisory committee on palliative care stated that each region should have comprehensive palliative care services, that is, home care, primary care, acute hospital and inpatient specialist services. Fourteen years later, we still do not have it. Two internal HSE reports, in 2007 and 2012, set out the need for palliative care services to be developed specifically in the midlands. There is a significant problem here. The population in the midland counties of Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford is wondering why it is not being given the same priority and why these basic services are not there. For those reaching the end of life and their families, it is important that we provide these services at that crucial stage of life. I ask the Minister of State to address this issue.

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