Elderly people in south Leitrim 'restricted from resident access to a bed in their own area'

Older people from Ballinamore and the surrounding areas are being left without beds due to patients from outside the area entering the local facility, a meeting heard this week in Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim. 

Cllr Ita Reynolds-Flynn asked what system the HSE has in place to allow patients to "enter local nursing homes for mostly long time care. In particular, the nursing homes located in Ballinamore, Carrick-on-Shannon and Mohill."

Ballinamore House Nursing Home is a 20 bed unit and is run by the HSE and covers the areas of Carrigallen, Aughavas, Cloone, Aughnasheelin, Ballinagore and parts of West Cavan.

Cllr Reynolds-Flynn noted that "80% of nursing homes are private in Ireland and 20% are agency-run."

However, Cllr Reynolds-Flynn said that people outside of the Ballinamore area are being brought into the community hospital leaving locals without beds and locals are being "restricted from resident access to a bed in their own area."

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"The last patient allocated a bed in Ballinamore Nursing Home was from Skreen, Sligo," she told the meeting and asked if a letter could be written to the Minister and HSE West. 

She queried if it was a management decision to bring in residents from outside of the catchment area of Ballinamore. 

Cllr Gary Prior strongly supported the motion saying it was "a very serious issue on the ground".

He noted that there are other nursing homes including St Patricks Community Hospital, "but these patients, for some reason, are being brought to the Ballinamore nursing home."

He continued: "I believe there are 60 patients on a list trying to get access to the nursing home and I personally attended the unit a number of weeks ago seeking a bed for a family member and was refused it. I would strongly urge some intervention here to find out what is the reason that these beds are being given to people outside the area and people within the catchment area cannot be allocated a bed."

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Cllr Mary Bohan supported the motion and added that there were not enough units in the county, in her view. 

Giving Aras Bhride, a purpose-built facility for older people in Drumshanbo, as an example, she said more such facilities should be developed. 

She said: "These are the kinds of facilities we need because not everybody needs full-time nursing care but they do they need supports. They have their own self-contained apartment with a walk-in shower and communal areas."