HSE under fire over ‘distressing’ ward moves

FAMILIES of elderly patients in permanent care at St Camillus Hospital in Limerick say many are very distressed at a HSE decision to move them from wards where they have been cared for many years.

A HSE spokesman has described the move as a “reorganisation” of the hospital’s resources and that, at present, there are a number of vacant beds in various parts of the hospital.

The spokesman said: “Instead of having a ward three-quarters full, with empty beds, all the vacant beds will be in the one area. This is an internal change and there will be no reductions in the number of beds which is 139.