The HSE has been asked to consider an extension at Ballymacool Respite House in Letterkenny to meet the demand for respite in Donegal.
The lack of respite services in Carndonagh arose again at this month’s meeting of the HSE Regional Health Forum West, where Sinn Féin Councillor Gerry McMonagle sought updates on Riverwalk House and Milltown House.
He was told that recruitment issues have delayed the opening of Riverwalk House.
Meanwhile, Milltown House is ‘not fit for purpose to deliver support services’ and in need of capital funding to bring it back into use.
In the meantime, Ballymacool Respite House in Letterkenny and Seaview Respite House in Mountcharles, are providing extended respite services for people with disabilities in Donegal.
Cllr McMonagle said he could not understand the serious difficulties recruiting medical and care staff in Donegal.
“At the end of all this is families looking for respite. This has been going on far too long,” he said.
“It’s time we bit the bullet and put a capital injection into the likes of Ballymacool, where there is a significant land around the existing centre and we extend that. It’s fairly central and it will provide multiple more beds as opposed to a couple of hours or half a day or two nights.
“We have not got enough respite beds in Donegal and I think it’s time we woke up to that.”
Dermot Monaghan, HSE Area Manager told the Forum agreed that there is a lack of capacity and that a new model such as extending Ballymacool House could be on the table if the HSE cannot recruit.
Donegal Disability Services is collaborating with the HSE Human Resource department to develop bespoke recruitment strategies such as: local, national, and London recruitment fairs, bank nurse panel and incentivised recruitment campaigns targeting the Irish nursing diaspora.
“It’s frustrating for us not able to provide the service yet we are seeing the demand increasing,” Mr Monaghan said.
Cllr McMonagle replied that Ballymacool is a “no-brainer”.
“It’s about building an extension there and providing the adequate beds needed to meet the respite needs in Donegal.”
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