Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. I wish her a speedy recovery.

I thank the Deputies for raising this important matter. I acknowledge that they are speaking with one voice and that everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet on this. I acknowledge the vital healthcare role that Clifden District Hospital plays and the excellent level of care and support which it provides to patients and their families in the local community and surrounding areas.

As Minister of State with responsibility for mental health and older people, Deputy Butler, is acutely aware of the challenges that Clifden hospital is currently facing. She assures the Deputies that she is committed to working alongside HSE Community healthcare west to address these issues.

As Deputies will be aware Clifden has been primarily designated to provide convalescence care to patients stepping down from acute hospitals. However, with the evolution of Sláintecare and the transition of care from acute to community settings, the need for step-down beds has reduced. In fact, the demand for step-down care is currently an average of less than one patient a day.

Clifden District Hospital also provides respite beds to allow family carers in the community a welcome break. The Minister of State has been advised by the HSE that the average respite demand and occupancy is approximately three beds per night. This brings the total average occupancy of Clifden District Hospital to 3.2 beds per night.

In the Clifden area, St. Anne's community nursing unit is a designated centre registered with HIQA to provide a home for older people. Unfortunately, St. Anne's has faced significant challenges over many years to secure sufficient nursing staff, despite national, international and local recruitment drives. To address this issue, there needs to be a dedicated approach to recruit staff in the short term to continue these vital services. In making that statement, the Minister of State is acknowledging what the Deputies have said about recruitment. In recognition of the service needs in the Clifden area and to seek to redress the nurse staffing shortage, HSE community healthcare west commenced a process two years ago under the Croke Park public service agreement.

In August 2020, under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission and conciliation services, the HSE informed the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, and SIPTU that it would issue a common roster, which commenced on 26 September of this year. This roster will cover both Clifden District Hospital and the St. Anne's community nursing unit site in order that the staff could be assigned to both sites, which are less than 1.3 km apart, based on service needs.

The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was advised by the HSE that one of the staff representative bodies communicated with the HSE on Friday, 23 September, to say it had instructed its members not to co-operate with the revised roster. Community healthcare west is committed to ensuring the safety of its residents and patients and, accordingly, has put in place contingency arrangements in light of any potential action by staff from 26 September. Unfortunately, over the weekend of 23 September, the HSE was unable to secure cover to fill the rosters due to gaps in St. Anne's community nursing unit, which the HSE required to ensure the safe care of residents and patients. Community healthcare west, therefore, developed contingency arrangements for the patients in Clifden District Hospital. Patients and their families were contacted by HSE nurse management last week and were offered an alternative option of Merlin Park University Hospital. To clarify, the HSE has advised the current services will continue as normal.

The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, advises the Deputies that all those booked into respite in Clifden District Hospital last week and this week are receiving the service in Clifden. The HSE simply took contingency measures following advice it had received indicating that staff might not co-operate with the new roster. These measures will be implemented only if insufficient staff are available. The HSE will continuously review the staffing and operate services with safe staffing levels. There are no plans to cease services in Clifden hospital at present. The Minister of State will continue to engage with the chief officer in community healthcare west to ensure the continuation of the possible expansion of services in Clifden hospital.

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