Anger as HSE closes 65 hospital beds

THE HSE has come under fire over the closure of 65 public residential beds across a number of health facilities in the mid-west.

The HSE has made the cuts in response to an over-spend of €20 million in the region for the first six months of this year.

Kathleen Lynch, Minister for State at the Department of Health, said the closures — in mainly short-stay beds — will be at Camillus Hospital, Co Limerick (15); St Ita’s Hospital, Newcastlewest, Co Limerick, (17); Community Hospital of the Assumption, Thurles, Co Tipperary, (22); Dean Maxwell Home, Roscrea, Co Tipperary (6) and Raheen Community Hospital (5), Co Clare.

She said 23 of the beds are vacant.

However, Clare TD Michael McNamara hit out at the HSE, claiming it had “ballooned into a bureaucracy”.

He said staff at Raheen Community Hospital were told by email that the number of respite beds would be reduced from 28 to 23.

“There was no discussion in advance and no inquiries about the impact this might have on care,” he said.

Ms Lynch said the reduction in the use of agency staff and overtime across all health and hospital facilities in the mid-west has had an impact on the number of residents who can be treated safely.