Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 May 2024
33. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Health the details of his engagement to-date in 2024 with HSE West regarding the ongoing closure of Clifden District Hospital; the steps he has taken to ensure that the hospital reopens on a permanent basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19534/24]
View answerClifden District Hospital plays a vital role in providing care and support to patients and their families in the Clifden community and surrounding areas.
Admissions to Clifden District Hospital have unfortunately been temporarily paused due to the lack of staff availability, and prioritisation has had to be given to staffing the roster in St. Anne’s Community Nursing Unit. Local residents from the Clifden area who have required an admission to a short-stay bed have been accommodated in the HSE facility in Merlin Park, and through the use of capacity in egress beds provided in the private system in Carna nursing home.
Following a derogation that I secured, HSE Community Healthcare West are actively working to recruit HSE nursing, care, and support staff in order to safely reopen the short-stay beds available in Clifden District Hospital. Despite contacts with several recruitment agencies, the HSE have been unsuccessful in sourcing the required staffing resources to reopen the district hospital.
The HSE are committed to providing services that meet the demand in the short and longer term for people in Clifden and surrounding areas. I will continue to work alongside the HSE to ensure that services in Clifden District Hospital are fully operational again at the earliest possible time. I engage regularly with Head of Older Persons for HSE Community Healthcare West in relation to all long-term residential facilities in the area.
