Community hospital board meet to discuss future

THE board of an under-threat community hospital is due to meet this morning to discuss its future.

It follows a crucial meeting yesterday between representatives of Cobh Community Hospital, in Co Cork, which provides long-term care to more than 30 elderly people, and officials from the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF), which is now responsible for most of its funding.

A spokesperson said there would be no public comment until after the meeting.

Fears were expressed on Tuesday that the hospital may close under new Government funding arrangements for nursing homes.

Supporters of the hospital warned its funding could be slashed by €780,000 a year under the new Nursing Home Support Scheme or Fair Deal scheme, making it unviable.

Closure would result in the loss of some 40 nursing and care assistant jobs and would force over 30 elderly residents – including one individual who has lived at the hospital for quarter of a century – to find other accommodation.

A HSE spokesperson said the NTPF has responsibility for engaging and negotiating rates with providers of long-term care beds for patients since the introduction of the Fair Deal.

“The HSE is in regular contact with Cobh Community Hospital and continues to provide support and finance in relation to pre Fair Deal patients,” a statement said.

Fine Gael TD David Stanton and Cobh-based Labour Cllr John Mulvihill have called on the area’s government TDs to intervene to save the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Campaign For a Real Public Health Service group will host a public meeting at 8pm tonight in the Baker Street Bar in Gurranabraher to discuss the HSE’s plans to transfer orthopaedic services out of St Mary’s Orthopaedic Hospital before the end of this year.

The meeting will be addressed by hospital workers.