THE future of the Sacred Heart Hospital in Castlebar as a long-stay care facility remains in serious doubt despite Fine Gael assurances that centre is not in jeopardy.

Councillor Noreen Heston (FG) told a special meeting of the local town council her party had received assurances from senior HSE West management that a threat was not posed to residents, staff members or services at the facility.

She appealed to members of the public to be patient as efforts were ongoing to alleviate widespread fears in regard to the hospital.

Councillor Heston explained a HIQA report on the facility as a nursing home is due to be published in two weeks time and it will make matters clearer.

Furthermore, an application had been made for funding from a €26 million Department of Health allocation to upgrade facilities at the centre.

“Bear with us until we achieve a result on this issue,” she stated.

However, she pointed to the fact that 80 per cent of all applications under the Fair Deal Scheme for long-stay care beds were in respect of private nursing homes. Here in Mayo, only one-fifth of the applications for HSE owned facilities were for the Sacred Heart Hospital.

 

“My party has been advised there are no applications on hold for long-stay patients at the Sacred Heart Hospital,” she explained.

Her statement drew a sharp rebuke from Independent Councillor Michael Kilcoyne. He hit out elderly people are being consistently turned away from the Sacred Heart Home by being told there are no available beds there.

“That’s why there are no applications. Consultants at Mayo General Hospital are telling families there are no beds at Sacred Heart Hospital. I can bring in the families to validate what I’m saying. They will reveal the names of consultants.”

Councillor Kilcoyne said the funding to which Councillor Heston referred was in respect of rehabilitation services and not long-term care.

“The Sacred Heart Hospital is finished as a long-stay care facility and I don’t have to reply for my information on HSE management which dances to the minister’s tune.

“The only reason there is such a high percentage of elderly people choosing private nursing homes under the Fair Deal Scheme is became there is nowhere else to go.”

Councillor Kilcoyne’s comments received a round of applause from members of the Friends of Sacred Heart sitting in the public gallery.

Councillor Frank Durcan said the phasing out of the Sacred Heart Hospital as a long-stay facility did not make sense from a health care perspective.

Its close proximity to Mayo General Hospital made it an ideal location for such a service to be based.

He described as ‘amazing’ the fact elected members of the Fine Gael party in Castlebar could provide information about the Sacred Heart Hospital that neither Taoiseach Enda Kenny or his health minister were prepared to divulge.

“This is a crazy situation. Yet the reality is that the government has stopped patients from going to the Sacred Heart Hospital because of the exorbitant charges (€1,028 per week) being imposed.”

A motion, tabled by Councillor Durcan, calling on Deputy Kenny to attend a public meeting in Castlebar and outline the future of the Sacred Heart Home was adopted without opposition.

He said the fact the number of beds at the centre was now down to 75, from a high over 300 some years ago, was the cause of huge public unrest that Deputy Kenny needed to address.

“He cannot say he is representing the old and infirm of his constituency until he does so. He owes it to the people of the town. There is no back door for him on this issue. He should have the moral courage to meet the people and allay their fears.”

Councillor Durcan added 200 jobs could be created if the facility is restored to its former glory.

Labour Party Councillor Harry Barrett said while he welcomed Fine Gael’s efforts to diffuse the row, he called for written assurances on the future of the hospital to be furbished by the Department of Health and the HSE.

Fianna Fáil Councillor Blackie Gavin stated it is the most emotive issue to hit Castlebar for a long time and the community had to fight tooth and nail to save the hospital.

“We are proud to have the Taoiseach in this town, but he has to sit down and sort this problem out.”

Fine Gael Councillor Brendan Henaghan said he is satisfied the future of the hospital is safe despite the hysteria.

“I am reassured by what I have been told by HSE West management,” he added.

 

 

 

In the meantime the hospital has applied for funding from a 26 million euro national fund that was announced by government last April, and it’s hoped that it will be successful.

 

 

A special meeting last night of Castlebar town councillors to discuss the future of the Sacred Heart Hospital in the town left those in attendance generally with as many questions as answers.

 

A number of staff and Friends of the Sacred Heart Hospital were in the public gallery to listen to the debate, as there is increasing concern about the hospital’s future, as the bed numbers in the hospital continues to decline.

 

Councillors have called on the Taoiseach to intervene and to ensure that the Sacred Heart Hospital is restored to its full capacity. The hospital had well in excess of 300 beds some years ago and that figure has now been reduced to 75.

 

There were a number of angry exchanges among councillors.

 

Eventually a motion was carried, unopposed, to invite the Taoiseach to come to Castlebar and to attend a public meeting on the hospital’s future.

 

The Fine Gael councillors on the authority had met senior management of the HSE over recent days and insisted that the hospital will not close, no staff will be lost at the facility and that it has a future.

 

But a future as what, is the question that remained unanswered

 

As a long term nursing home facility, its future remains uncertain.

 

A HIQA report on the facility as a nursing home is due in about two weeks and that should make matters clearer.

 

In the meantime the hospital has applied for funding from a 26 million euro national fund that was announced by government last April, and it’s hoped that it will be successful.