Cllr. Ormond has called on immediate action
regarding the current services being provided at Birr Community Nursing Unit.
Due to the unavailability of Nurses to recruit, management have
encountered difficulties in securing staff. This is s result of government
policy of poor pay for our Nurses in particular.
This has lead to a cut in services with the
closure of 7 respite beds in the last two weeks. These beds provide a
great service to the end users and also to the families who provide the care.
We have seen in recent weeks people have to secure accommodation in
private nursing homes or secure accommodation in other counties.
Because of the situation we now find
ourselves in, there is a potential danger to other
services in the hospital such as Palliative Care beds and the day care centre.
Both these services are a vital component of the care that is provided at the
unit.
Birr Community Nursing Unit has provided an
invaluable Service to the people of South/West Offaly since its inception
and I call on the management of the Hse to intervene to ensure that this unit
can provide the level of service that it has capacity for.
Cllr. Ormond has also
criticised Hiqa for its requirement to change the accommodation needs
of the unit. These new national standards come into effect on the 1st July this
year and will lead to an increase in investment for the unit.
The most valuable resource that this unit
has are the current staff who provide an excellent service and go beyond their
call of duty to ensure the running of the unit.
Ends
