Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I do not need to tell anyone in this country, and definitely not anyone involved in politics, that we are facing challenging times as we try to keep the finances, the services and the infrastructure of our community units in place. These challenges relate to finances, to staffing and to the ageing structures in which these units are housed. All developments have to be addressed in light of current economic and budgetary pressures. Any decisions taken by the HSE must have regard to these pressures and to the current recruitment moratorium.

The 11 community hospitals in County Donegal provide 400 public beds, of which 238 are short-stay beds and 162 are long-stay beds. They are supported by a wide range of community-based services. Primary care centres are attached to six units, which means there is access to services including public health nurse services, community psychiatric nursing, home help services and old age psychiatry. These services are available to residents of the units as need requires. The use of short-stay beds has enabled older people to access the services and supports they need to maximise their independence and remain at home for longer. This is demonstrated by the fact that just 2.7% of older people in County Donegal are in long-term care, compared to a figure of 4% nationally. There is an emphasis in the county on supporting acute services to discharge older people in a timely manner to step-down facilities in community hospitals. Some 976, or 29%, of the 3,353 admissions to community hospitals were from acute hospitals in 2012. The availability and use of short-stay beds in community hospitals minimises acute hospital admissions as it allows general practitioners to admit patients to community hospitals directly.

Dungloe Community Hospital, like Carndonagh and Stranorlar community hospitals, was registered with the Health Information and Quality Authority on 22 June 2012.

The registration period is three years and the current capacity is 35 beds. In addition to long-term care, there is a day hospital, outpatient clinics, X-ray and other specialist services. The hospital has recently experienced an increased number of staff retirements, long-term sick leave and maternity leave. In order to maintain a sate level of care to patients the HSE decided temporarily to reduce the number of short-stay beds by ten. Long-stay beds are unaffected. The decision to close the beds temporarily was taken to ensure that there is an adequate number of staff to meet all of the needs of the residents safely. The hospital will continue to provide respite and rehab care within its current capacity.

Carndonagh Community Hospital is the focal point for health care delivery in north Inishowen, delivering a comprehensive service to meet a wide range of patient needs. Services include long-term care, respite, rehabilitation, palliative and dementia-specific care. There is a wide catchment area with 14% of the population over 65, many of whom live in isolated areas and alone. This places greater demands on services, particularly inpatient services. The current bed capacity in Carndonagh Community Hospital is 38. The recent decision to reduce capacity from 42 to 38 beds was also taken to maintain safe and appropriate levels of care to patients. The situation will be kept under review and as sick leave resolves the beds will re-open.

The current capacity of St.Joseph's Community Hospital is 75 beds. Services include respite, rehabilitation, palliative and intermediate care and there are 27 beds available for long-term residential care. When the hospital was last inspected by HIQA in April 2013, inspectors observed that while staff provided care in a knowledgeable, competent and respectful manner, there was a concern that this complex mix of residents can make it more difficult for the staff to meet the needs of long-term residents. In order to address this issue one ward, with a dedicated staff, has now been designated for long-stay residents only. The changes mean St. Joseph's will now have an operational capacity of 67 beds. I am confident that this response will facilitate improved compliance with residential standards. Residents and their families can be assured that management and staff will continue to work to provide the highest standards of care in all the community hospitals in Donegal. The HSE has asked me to assure the House that the residents at all these facilities are receiving a safe and quality service. Bed capacity across community hospitals in Donegal will be kept under on-going review. However, there are no current plans to further reduce bed capacity. I hope this is of some help to the Senator.