Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I will take this Adjournment debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. I thank the Senators for raising this issue. It provides me with an opportunity to update the House on this matter and to outline the background to the current situation and the action taken by the Health Service Executive. I also want to reassure the older people concerned, and their families, about the future.

As Senators are aware, Government policy on older people is to support 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 has operational responsibility for the delivery of health and social services, including those at facilities such as St. Patrick's Hospital, Waterford. The executive is working on an action plan to prioritise a phased programme of refurbishment and replacement of existing public nursing homes, where necessary, to meet the proposed new national standards for residential care facilities for older people. The House will appreciate that ongoing reviews are essential to ensure resources are properly channelled, and that the changing needs of older people are suitably addressed.

St. Brigid's ward is the last remaining ward on an upper floor of St. Patrick's Hospital. Concerns have been expressed about the ward with regard to health and safety and fire issues. The difficulty of evacuating high dependency patients from St. Brigid's ward in the event of an emergency has been highlighted by the fire safety officer. With this in mind, the Health Service Executive has decided it is no longer viable to continue to accommodate patients in St. Brigid's ward.

Patients currently accommodated in the ward will not be moved out of St. Patrick's Hospital. They will continue to receive their ongoing care within the complex. As vacancies arise on the ground floor, in consultation with patients themselves and their families, patients will be relocated from St. Brigid's ward to other wards within the hospital. St. Brigid's ward will no longer accept admissions. The HSE has confirmed it is taking steps to ensure the closure of this ward will not result in a reduction in the number of beds available in Waterford city.

The safety of the residents is our first concern. We owe them a duty of care. Most importantly, we must consider what is in their best interests. Each hospital, local health office, managers, clinicians and others working in the health services have a responsibility to ensure they strive to provide the best possible service to patients and other clients of our health services. I am sure the House will agree that the safety and well-being of older people is of critical concern. Quality care and patient safety comes first and all patients should receive the same high standard of quality-assured care. It is a matter for the HSE to deliver services both nationally and locally within its budget and overall health policy priorities in line with the overall resources available to it.

St. Patrick's Hospital will remain at the centre of public residential care for older people in Waterford city. The executive has a proposal for a new 50 bed community nursing unit on the grounds of the hospital. It is proposed that the planned 50 bed nursing unit will provide therapy, rehabilitation and medical care to older people who no longer need acute hospital care or who can no longer be maintained in their own homes.

The House will be aware that the management of resources and service planning is now a matter for the HSE in the first instance. However, the House will understand that any new capital development, such as the proposed community nursing unit at St. Patrick's Hospital, will need to be considered in the context of the overall HSE capital plan for 2009 and beyond. Patient safety is everyone's concern. I reassure the House that the decision to close St. Brigid's ward was taken with the primary focus on the care and welfare of each patient.