Councillor Gary Doherty has condemned Government plans to end long term residential nursing care at Lifford, Ramelton and St Joseph’s Community Hospitals as part of its programme of refurbishment and replacement of public nursing homes.
Commenting on the plans, which will see the closure of long stay residential care services at Lifford, St Joseph’s and Ramelton Community Hospitals, Cllr Doherty says the plans will bring long term residential nursing care in the Finn Valley to an end and says that the party will tonight table a Dáil debate in opposition to the move.
Cllr Doherty said the plans announced on Tuesday by Fine Gael and Labour in their Capital Programme will spell an end to long-term residential nursing care at Lifford, Ramelton and St Joseph’s Community Hospitals and this is something which we as a community cannot allow to happen.
“In recent weeks I have been extremely vocal in my concern regarding the long term future of both Lifford and St Joseph’s Community Hospitals given the on-going reductions made to staff and beds at the units in recent years.
“In a letter yesterday, the HSE confirmed what many had feared following Tuesday’s announcement, that long stay residential nursing care will be removed from these units and will no longer form part of the service models at Lifford, Ramelton or St Joseph’s hospitals.
“In essence, what we are seeing is an effective downgrading of these facilities and the removal of vital services from the area – this is yet another blow to the Finn Valley under the present government.
“Not only does it appear that by transferring long stay beds to a new centre in Letterkenny that we are not going to increase current bed capacity, but it is taking our elderly and most vulnerable out of their communities and away from their families.
“This is fundamentally wrong and this is a bad deal for the people of the Finn Valley. This is why I have asked my colleague Deputy Pearse Doherty to table a Dáil debate which is scheduled for tonight where he will be debating this plan with the Minister and urging that she retain long term nursing beds at these three hospitals.
“It’s claimed that this programme will deliver 215 additional beds across the state by 2021, however this is completely inadequate as present projections show that demand will be much greater than this in the years ahead, which would leave one to wonder why any government would be in favour of removing residential care units.
“Public long stay units across the state have an occupancy rate of 92%, while this is even higher in some areas at 98%, meaning that we are dangerously close to maximum capacity as we are.
“I have spoken with personnel at both Lifford and St Joseph’s hospitals as well as people from around the community and there is huge anger and uncertainty as a result of these plans with many fearing that the long term viability of these units hang in the balance.
“These plans cannot be allowed to go ahead, and tonight my colleague Deputy Pearse Doherty will be letting the Minister know that the people of Donegal will not allow for yet more services to be removed from our community hospitals.”
