Hospital opening delayed by months
The first phase transfer of 43 patients from the old St Elizabeth’s Hospital in Dingle was postponed two weeks ago by the HSE after the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) indicated it was not satisfied the hospital meets modern standards of patient care.
While neither the HSE, nor HIQA, have explained what the problems are, it is understood some of the rooms may be too small.
It is believed HIQA has expressed concerns about a number of issues there and will not allow the hospital, which has been built for the past 18 months, to be registered until it is fully satisfied it meets necessary standards.
Dingle’s Cllr Seamus Cosai Fitzgerald said there was anger and frustration in the area about the repeated delays in opening the facility.
The Fine Gael councillor yesterday called on Health Minister Mary Harney to intervene.
“I believe the minister should knock heads together and should insist on the opening of this hospital,” he said.
“It should be opened and licensed under conditions specifying that the required works be carried out by the HSE within a certain period of time.”
Mr Fitzgerald said conditions in the hospital were state-of-the-art and a world removed from St Elizabeth’s, which dated to the mid-19th century.
“The opening of two of the three units should be allowed straight away and time given to complete the additional work being demanded by HIQA,” he maintained.
However, a HIQA spokesman said it had to ensure all facilities met the needs of patients going into the hospital and that patients were safe and would receive the proper quality of care.
He said registration was a legal act which “must be done right” and added a full report would be published later.
People in the Dingle Peninsula began campaigning for a new community hospital over a decade ago to replace St Elizabeth’s, which is in poor condition and inadequate for the 43 elderly people who are residents there.
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