Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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137. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the future of long term residential care at a facility (details supplied); if bed capacity reductions are being considered as part of these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51256/17]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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138. To ask the Minister for Health his plans for the future of long term residential care at a facility (details supplied); if bed capacity reductions are being considered as part of these plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51257/17]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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139. To ask the Minister for Health if reports detailing the investment and service needs of community hospitals in County Donegal (details supplied) will be made available to this Deputy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51258/17]

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 to 139, inclusive, together.

While the care delivered to residents in our community hospitals is generally of a very high standard, many of theses services are delivered in buildings that are less than ideal in the modern context. It is important therefore that we upgrade our public bed stock and this is the aim of the 5 year Capital Investment Programme for Community Nursing Units which was announced last year. This provides the framework to allow for an enhanced programme to replace, upgrade and refurbish these care facilities, as appropriate. Significant work was undertaken to determine the most optimum scheduling of projects within the phased provision of funding to achieve compliance with National Standards.

This investment programme will see the provision of two new centres in Donegal, namely in Ballyshannon and also a 130 bed centre, centrally located in Letterkenny.

Since the announcement in 2016, and following discussions with public representatives, Health Forum members and local community groups, local HSE management in CHO 1 agreed to review overall requirements for the area. The Terms of Reference for the Rhatigan's review were as follows:

1. Assess current and future needs for short/long term bed capacity taking into account of up to date census data from the Central Statistics Office;

2. Based on current planning norms define scale of public/private provision required to meet this need up to 2026;

3. Assess the adequacy of existing facilities in St Joseph’s Hospital Stranorlar, Ramelton and Lifford, taking account of amended legislation governing residential care standards 2016;

4. Recommend changes to the approved capital programme, if appropriate, taking into account capital and revenue costs, geographical factors, integration of care with acute services and time frames for delivery;

5. Make specific recommendations regarding dementia care provision; and

6. Based on the above to finalise brief and options appraisals for infrastructural developments proposed.

I understand that the report has now been received by Social Care division and will be considered over the coming period.

Any proposals for changes to the approved Capital Investment Programme for Community Nursing Units would have to be considered in the context of capital funding available to Health, potential revenue implications and compliance with the agreed capital approval process.