Patients’ money used to buy furniture for hostels
In a reply to a parliamentary question posed by Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness, the hospital manager of Carlow/Kilkenny Mental Health and Elderly Services said an internal audit had vindicated the board's actions.
"I am satisfied, from talking to staff and residents that residents were aware that they were paying for the furniture. The records were well maintained and all the money was accounted for," he said.
The practice of using patients' funds to buy furniture was raised with Mr McGuinness by concerned relatives of patients at Mount Lacken and Lismore hostels in the SEHB region.
In its explanation, the board said it had spent significant amounts in upgrading both hostels in the past number of years, including replacing heating systems, fire escapes and bathrooms.
It said residents were "encouraged to contribute" to the upgrades by purchasing furniture for their own rooms with personal funds. "This furniture then becomes the property of the resident," the board said.
The patients in the hostels have been discharged from hospital and are not in a position to be discharged to independent unsupervised living.
They are entitled to the usual allowance that would apply if living independently in the community a disabled person's maintenance allowance (DPMA) or the old-age Pension as appropriate.
These residents living in health board accommodation contribute €34 weekly to a housekeeping account and another €20 towards a maintenance account. The balance of their money, in the order of €70.80 for those with DPMA, is for their personal use and residents are encouraged to save.
However, the health board argues that €20 per week towards a maintenance account is not capable of sustaining any significant upgrading of accommodation, and so residents are encouraged to contribute towards bedroom furniture where the furniture is in poor repair or where there is a need for storage for personal clothing.
"The resident in this case would be advised that they would have to pay for this from their personal money and that the furniture would then become their property."
The health board said there was no obligation for residents to furnish their own rooms, that they only sought funds if additional or new furniture was required.
A resident of Mount Lacken who objected to this practice lodged a complaint, which prompted an investigation by the health board. A complaint from a relative of a resident at Lismore was satisfactorily resolved, according to the SEHB.
A spokesperson for the SEHB said an internal audit had shown there was no misappropriation of funds. The health board said there was a record of all purchases.
A record in the resident's money book showed the details of the money transferred into this account from their personal account for the purchases, and "this is signed by the resident and countersigned by the nursing officer in charge".
