Finian McGrath (Dublin Bay North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome today’s opportunity for statements on the bed closures at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. I thank Senator Victor Boyhan for raising this very important issue.

I have been informed by the Health Service Executive that the complexity of the medical conditions of patients referred to the National Rehabilitation Hospital for rehabilitation programmes has increased in recent years, resulting in greater challenges for the hospital. In response to this situation, management at the National Rehabilitation Hospital reduced its existing bed capacity by 12 beds to enable the hospital to provide a safe and appropriate level of care to patients from within existing resources. Some eight of these beds are in the brain injury programme and four are in the spinal cord injury programme.

I have been assured that the Health Service Executive is actively working with the National Rehabilitation Hospital to optimise capacity in the hospital by positively attempting to address concerns regarding funding, along with the provision of specialist supports via the Health Service Executive’s clinical programmes division. I wish to inform the House that as an interim step to reinstating bed capacity at the National Rehabilitation Hospital the Health Service Executive is supporting the incremental reopening of four beds at the hospital, together with additional resourcing to support increased therapeutic inputs to all users of the hospital's services. This additional investment will support increased capacity at the hospital with effect from 1 June.

The bed capacity situation is made more difficult as a result of the challenges associated with discharging patients with complex needs. In this regard, the Health Service Executive supports the development of a dedicated post of liaison co-ordinator to further develop an integrated care pathway for spinal injuries patients. I am pleased to say that this position has been approved for 2017. This post will be key to supporting patients in their timely discharge to the next phase in their rehabilitation and will also contribute to optimising bed capacity at the hospital.

The Government recognises the excellent rehabilitation programme which the National Rehabilitation Hospital delivers and the hospital’s excellent patient outcomes. In terms of capital developments, the priority at the current time is the redevelopment of the campus at the hospital. There has been good progress on this redevelopment project which will provide a purpose built 120 bed facility, with integrated therapy and support services on the campus. This will include support therapies for paediatrics and acquired brain injury wards, a hydrotherapy unit, a sports hall and a temporary entrance. Planning permission has been awarded and it is expected that the appointment of the successful contractors will be approved by the national rehabilitation board and the Health Service Executive in June, and that construction will commence thereafter.

The area of neuro-rehabilitation is a priority for the Government. A Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to publish a plan for advancing neuro-rehabilitation services in the community. The Health Service Executive’s national service plan for 2017 has identified a number of priority actions in this area. They include finalising and progressing implementation of the framework for the neuro-rehabilitation strategy. Full implementation of the strategy will, of necessity, be a longer-term project. The Department has agreed with the HSE that the focus initially will be on the implementation of the strategy in the community, which is in keeping with A Programme for a Partnership Government.

The development of the framework will include the strategic direction of the National Rehabilitation Hospital, as well as Peamount Hospital and the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook. It is in the context of the development of the framework that the resource requirements of the National Rehabilitation Hospital will be established. These requirements will be further considered as part of the Estimates process. I thank the House for the opportunity to address these issues and I look forward to hearing the contribution of the Senators.