UPDATE: 'HSE response to query on St Patrick's far from reassuring'

Cashel-based Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne has expressed his concern at the lack of detail given by the HSE in response to a query over the status of plans to develop a proposed 60-bed community nursing unit at St Patrick’s Hospital, Cashel.

Deputy Browne said: “The lack of detail provided in the response to my question is concerning. I queried the status of plans to develop the 60-bed unit.

“My first concern with the response was that it referred to a 50-bed unit – not the 60-bed unit that had previously been cited as the original option.

“My second concern relates to the status of the design stage.

“Despite the HSE engaging a design team in 2019, no further progress appears to have been made.

“The emergence of the pandemic was cited as a reason for the interruption to work on this project in March 2020.

“But the overall response indicates that it remains stalled, as the HSE offered no further details on any progress in this regard.

“My third concern is how the HSE has said in writing that it continues to review options regarding the development of a new Community Nursing Unit in Cashel.

“Another issue I have with the HSE’s response is its final reference to the development of the 50-bed Community Nursing Unit at St Anthony’s Unit in Clonmel, and how it ‘will deliver an additional 32 long-stay, residential beds for older people in the south Tipperary catchment area’.

“This reference to a different project does not instil confidence in the HSE’s plans for the new unit in Cashel.

“I am pursuing the matter further with the HSE, with HIQA and with the Health Minister for clarity on the concerns I have raised above.

“The people of Cashel and further afield deserve to know the HSE’s real intentions for St Patrick’s.

“The HSE’s record of removing services through stealth is well recorded in Co Tipperary.

“This cannot be repeated.”

The HSE letter in full read: “In 2019 the HSE engaged a design team to progress a new fifty bed Community Nursing Unit (CNU) project on the site of St Patrick’s Hospital, Cashel (SPHC). The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 interrupted work on this project. As a response to Covid-19 risks, upgrade works were carried out to make the nearby Our Lady’s Hospital, Cashel (OLHC) suitable for long stay, residential use. Residents from St Patrick’s Hospital were moved to Our Lady’s Hospital in June 2020.

“An assessment and rehabilitation unit, and a day hospital for Older Persons Services continue to operate at St Patrick’s Hospital.

“Specialist renovation works have been carried out on some of the vacated space at St Patrick’s Hospital for the development of new facilities for the Cashel/Tipperary and surrounding area Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT) and to accommodate children’s disability services originally based at Our Lady’s Hospital.

“Other available space at St Patrick’s Hospital is being considered for the development of facilities for the HSE’s roll out of the Enhanced Community Care programme.

“The HSE continues to review options regarding the development of a new Community Nursing Unit in Cashel.

“In December 2022, a contract was commenced to develop a new fifty bed Community Nursing Unit to replace St Anthony’s Unit, Clonmel via Private Public Partnership. The current expected completion date is Q4, 2024. This development will deliver an additional 32 long-stay, residential beds for older people in the south Tipperary catchment area.”