Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

751. To ask the Minister for Health the protocols being put in place in order that patients may be admitted directly to Belmullet Community Hospital having full regard for Covid-19 screening prior to admission in view of the fact that they have to be sent to the emergency department of Mayo University Hospital before they can be transferred to Belmullet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23824/20]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented challenge across our health services.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has developed an extensive body of guidance and support tools on resident transfers and admissions, which are available on the HPSC website.

The guidance sets out the measures that should be adopted for admissions to residential facilities.

Belmullet District Hospital is a step-down facility supporting acute hospital discharges.  It has a bed capacity of 20 but now has a reduced capacity of 12 beds. The 8 beds were unoccupied at the time the reduction took place.  Admissions to the District Hospital must comply with the Infection Prevention and Control guidance that issued by the HPSC.

The HSE has advised the Department that all measures put in place in Belmullet are in order to adhere to COVID-19 infection protection control guidelines to maximise patient safety.  There are no direct admissions from the community to any District Hospital since the commencement of the COVID-19 emergency surge in March 2020.

Belmullet District Hospital faces a number of challenges including infrastructure issues with the building.

I understand that recommendations from a recent HIQA inspection and an Infection Control review has highlighted significant infrastructural deficits to be redressed to ensure a safer environment for patients and staff.

I have been informed by the HSE that a meeting is scheduled to take place today in Belmullet District Hospital to review the infrastructural deficits within the District Hospital and to assess and quantify the level of works required to address these structural deficits.