Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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328. To ask the Minister for Health if he will include a palliative care unit in the new 50-bed care of the elderly unit in St. Anthony’s in South Tipperary General Hospital which is currently under construction (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17778/21]

Mary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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In conjunction with South Tipperary Hospice Home Care Team, the HSE's Older Persons Services are currently providing two Level 2 palliative care beds in St Anthony’s Unit, Clonmel, an 18 bed residential care unit for older people.

Level 2 palliative care is provided by healthcare professionals with additional training and experience in palliative care, in both acute and community settings. Level 3 palliative care is the provision of palliative care to patients with more complex and demanding care needs. This care is provided by an interdisciplinary team under the direction of a consultant physician in palliative medicine. Such care is provided in specialist inpatient palliative care units, or hospices, as well as primary care settings and acute hospitals.

As part of the national community nursing unit replacement programme, it is planned that a new 50 bed unit for Older Persons Services under Public Private partnership will commence in the third quarter of 2021 with an expected completion and occupation date of 2023. This unit will replace the existing St Anthony’s Unit. It is planned that two Level 2 beds will continue to be provided in this new unit.

I understand that Level 2 Palliative Care beds will continue to be provided in St Theresa’s District Hospital Clogheen, Cluain Arann Nursing Unit Tipperary and Dungarvan Community Hospital.

An additional 20 Level 3 in-patient beds will be provided in the new South East Regional Palliative Care Unit in University Hospital Waterford, which is due to open on 31^stJuly 2021.

With this development, it is not envisaged that Level 3 beds will be provided outside of this specialist regional palliative care unit. It is intended that there will be an ongoing requirement for limited Level 2 beds and the HSE will continue to liaise with Home Care Team with regard to these beds.