Deputy Thomas Pringle has slammed the HSE for what he claims are staffing delays at Seaview Respite Home.
The Donegal TD said that over 6 months ago, he brought to the Minister’s attention a staffing crisis at Seaview Respite House in Mountcharles which caused it to temporarily close as a result.
He added that after he raised this in the Dáil staff were secured and while only part-time services resumed the HSE committed to resuming the seven day service in Seaview once extra staff were secured.
But he fumed “However, it has repeatedly been brought to my attention by families using the service that full capacity has not been reached which is unacceptable six months later.
“In response to my Parliamentary Question, the HSE has confirmed that they are once again experiencing temporary staff shortage due to staff transfers and retirement which means three posts are currently vacant. Until they are filled, the service cannot resume to its full seven day service.
“Seaview Respite House caters to over 100 families providing valuable respite care for children of six years and older with a range of intellectual disabilities. The House can accommodate 5 children at a time and offers a much-needed break for families including overnight respite services, day respite and a drop-in service.
“It’s unacceptable that 6 months on from calling the Minister out on this that we are still dealing with a staffing issue and so I am calling on the Minister to once again address the chronic staff shortage situation which seems to plague Seaview Respite House and throughout the wider health sector in Ireland.
“There needs to be a complete overhaul in the way the HSE is recruiting staff because clearly it is ineffective and extremely interruptive for the families that depend on its services. I will be contacting the Minister to ensure that he does everything in his ability to address the staffing issue at Seaview House once and for all” concludes Pringle.
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