Oireachtas Committee hears HSE's reasons for closing St Brigid's Hospital

St Brigid’s Hospital was closed because the HSE considered its premises was not suitable to support the level of upgrade and adaptations required for it to safely resume short-stay inpatient care, a senior HSE manager told the Oireachtas Public Petitions Committee. 

The HSE cited Covid infection control and prevention guidelines adopted by the HSE as its knowledge of the virus grew in 2020 as a key reason for its  decision.  

But South East Community Healthcare Chief Officer Kate Killeen-White in her opening statement   said the design and layout of some parts of the hospital premises was unsuitable even before the pandemic as it “did not facilitate the environment that a modern service should provide from an infection, prevention and control perspective”. 

She said previous HIQA inspections “highlighted significant non-compliances” in relation to the premises’ physical structure including “inadequate space” in the two five-bedded first floor wards.

 This posed a restriction on movement for staff and some patients with reduced mobility and/or high care needs could not undertake personal activities in private. 

HIQA reports indicated there was only 76cms of space between the beds in the five-bed wards, which was deemed unacceptable prior to the Covid pandemic. 

Ms Killeen-White  said  there was a lack of storage space in these two wards and the twin-bed  bedroom and one of  five bed wards did not have showers.  Its occupants were required to go downstairs via the stairs or lift to access a shower. 

She outlined that in  2018, hospital management in conjunction with HSE estates/technical services gave consideration to adding an extension to St Brigid’s Hospital. But an opinion was given that the existing building, surrounding grounds and parking areas do not allow for an extension of sufficient size. 

She said it was opined that it would not be possible to make the existing building compliant. Additional land would be required, which in this area was not recommended. 

She said the site was in a flood plain, which would be concerning and to a lesser extent it included a right of way, which restricted options. 

Ms Killeen-White said  the hospital building also had a number of fire safety issues identified  particularly regarding compartmentation, which means how a building is divided into cells to prevent the passage of fire from one cell to another, and the horizontal and vertical evacuation of patients in the event of a fire. 

There were shortcomings identified in a HSE Estates Fire Inspection in November 2019 that would have required significant  alterations.  When the HSE was attempting to resume services during the Covid pandemic in 2020, a risk assessment was completed and it advised a risk of harm to clients and staff due to concerns about infections. 

“In 2020, it was opined by HSE Estates/Technical Services that upgrade works were not viable. The HSE was left with no choice but to discontinue short stay inpatient services at St Brigid’s Hospital.”