Seanad debates

Wednesday, 23 May 2018

Bed Capacity at National Rehabilitation Hospital: Statements

 

10:30 am

Photo of Niall Ó DonnghaileNiall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am acutely aware that there are Members who are much more familiar with the issues under discussion than me, but it is very important to take the opportunity to comment given the severity and passion involved and articulated previously. The National Rehabilitation Hospital provides complex specialist rehabilitation services to patients who, as a result of an accident, illness or injury have acquired a physical or cognitive disability and who require specialist medical attention. It provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services to adults and children. Backed by more than 50 years' experience, clinical expertise and a solid reputation for excellence, patients are given every opportunity to meet rehabilitation goals through personalised treatment plans delivered by interdisciplinary teams at the hospital. It is the only facility of its kind in the State and it operates according to an ethos of providing high-quality care and treatment to patients on the basis of clinical need. It is a registered charity and fundraises to deliver its much-needed services.

Brain trauma requires intensive and, in some cases, prolonged attention. To nurse severely damaged people back to full health, or as close to that as can be, adequate resources are required. We all know there is a general crisis in the health service. There is lower awareness, however, of the specific crisis at the rehabilitation hospital. The major concern for the hospital currently is bed capacity to cater for the increasing number of people in need of its special treatment. As I speak, there are 283 people on the waiting list. Last September, there were 236 people waiting for a bed. In nine months, nearly 50 people have joined the bed queue. What will the figure be in nine months? We do not know, but we can certainly speculate that it will increase. Currently, 19 children are awaiting a bed while 50 people are waiting for brain injury treatment. For these patients, it is an emergency situation. Given the size of the waiting list at the rehabilitation hospital, it is obvious the Government's policies are failing people in distress.

I have a number of questions for the Minister of State. While some have been asked, they are worth repeating. What practical steps are being taken to reduce the waiting list? Does the Government intend to recruit extra staff? Will the Minister of State listen to front-line staff, including the doctors, nurses and other health care professionals whose exceptional dedication absorbs so much of the hidden pressure caused by underfunding? It is clear that additional tailored funding is required for the rehabilitation hospital. How many empty beds are there in the hospital? A new rehabilitation hospital is due to open in 2020. Even before its doors open, there are worrying signs of bed capacity issues. Its bed capacity of 120 is similar to what is available in the current hospital. While a new hospital is necessary and welcome, we have no new ideas from Government as to how to bring an end to waiting lists. What does the Government intend to do with the current hospital? Will it continue as a rehabilitation hospital to provide extra beds?

The impact of the current circumstances on the rehabilitation of people is very worrying. The Neurological Alliance of Ireland is running a campaign, entitled We Need Our Heads Examined, which calls for investment in rehabilitation services for people with neurological problems. I urge the Minister of State to examine his head and to listen to those who know what needs to be done to ensure the crisis in the rehabilitation hospital is resolved to the satisfaction of those who are in the greatest need, namely, those on the waiting list.

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