Reilly to review HSE plan to close 16 beds in community hospital

THE Department of Health has given a commitment to review a HSE decision to close 16 beds at a Co Cork community hospital.

The information was delivered to a local action group opposing the imminent closure of the beds Clonakilty Community Hospital.

Mayor of Clonakilty Kevin O’Regan, who is also the chairman of the Clonakilty Community Hospital Action Group, said assurances that Health Minister James Reilly was reviewing the decision was a “very encouraging start”.

“We got news from the department that the minister had agreed to a request to review the decision, as he is doing with all bed closures, so there is hope. We know this will get a proper hearing and, hopefully, we will be in a position to meet with him at some point.”

Cllr O’Regan said it would probably be six to eight weeks before there was news from the department.

At a meeting between the action group, staff representatives and the HSE on Wednesday, the HSE reiterated its plans to close the beds and the reasons why it has to.

According to the HSE, the bed closures at the West Cork community hospital are necessary to meet fire safety standards, otherwise the hospital would fail a mandatory registration process with the Health and Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).

An inspection of the premises carried out last year by HIQA made no criticism of fire safety standards but the HSE said changes were necessary for the purposes of obtaining certification. All nursing homes are required to register with HIQA under the Health Act 2007.

The HSE also maintains that while there are approximately 500 long-stay residential care beds in West Cork, 380 would be suffice to serve the population. The assumption is reportedly based on the 2006 census.

Ger Reaney, health service manager for Cork, advised the group that the minister had requested the HSE not implement any bed closures in public long-stay facilities until he had the opportunity to review the situation.

Although the HSE said the meeting went well, Cllr O’Regan said it had been “less encouraging”.

“There seems to be a lot of different reasons for the closure. Every time we counter acted they had another reason again,” he said.