Decision to use Tipperary nursing home as UHL step-down facility branded as 'disgraceful'

HSE said move to use St Conlon's in Nenagh was an interim plan linked to 'significant pressures' at UHL

Labour TD Alan Kelly: 'It cost in excess of €23m of taxpayers money to build this new nursing home and now they are going to throw away money on a private "for profit" company by outsourcing HSE jobs.' File picture Dan Linehan

A new multi-million euro HSE nursing home in Tipperary will be run by a private provider as a step-down facility for University Hospital Limerick instead of for elderly residents, the HSE has confirmed.

Local Labour TD Alan Kelly condemned the decision as “absolutely disgraceful” while the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said it was “extremely disappointing”. The move has also been criticised by advocates in the Midwest Hospital Campaign.

The 50-bed nursing home, which is nearing completion, had been set to replace St Conlon’s nursing home in Nenagh following infrastructure concerns identified by nursing home regulator Hiqa.

However, HSE Midwest, covering Limerick, Clare, and North Tipperary, said on Tuesday the latest move was an interim plan linked to "significant pressures" at UHL. 

“A decision has been made to utilise the new building for a period of about one year as a step-down sub-acute facility which will be run by a private provider with expertise in such services. Tendering has commenced," a HSE spokesman said. 

“The HSE has every intention of then moving to the long-term use of the new community nursing unit to replace St Conlon’s.”  

Long-term plans include “recruitment for 2025 of the staff needed”, he added.

Mr Kelly, however, said there was a waiting list of almost 60 people for St Conlon’s.

The overcrowding situation in UHL is so wrong but two wrongs don’t make a right and depriving elderly people and their families from Nenagh and surrounds of 50 nursing beds is a disgrace.

“I have a long history of fighting for this new nursing home after Hiqa said that it couldn’t continue in the long term. I have over the last few months been fighting for families to get the staff required to get this new home open.” 

University Hospital Limerick: Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said it was 'extremely disappointing' new nursing home is to be used as step-down facility.

He also raised concerns over the outsourcing of care.

“It cost in excess of €23m of taxpayers money to build this new nursing home and now they are going to throw away money on a private ‘for profit’ company by outsourcing HSE jobs,” he said.

The response among patient advocates is one of shock, Dr Conor Reidy from the Midwest Hospital Campaign said.

“St Conlon’s has a special place in people’s hearts in this community,” he said.

Older people deserve better, he said, adding: "They deserve better than to have their future put on hold because of the failures of others basically. 

It really is a betrayal of the older people in our community, who deserve better than to be a scapegoat for the failures of others.

INMO official Karen Liston was also critical. 

“The decision by the HSE to repurpose the new nursing home in Nenagh into a step-down facility for University Hospital Limerick without consulting unions and patients who were anxiously waiting to move from St Conlon’s Nursing Home is extremely disappointing," she said. 

Siptu health official in the Midwest Mark Quinn said its members who work at St Conlon’s were not told in advance of this new plan.

“Staff have been looking forward to the opening of this new unit — the residents will now be gravely disappointed by the decision taken by the HSE,” he said.

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“This was built to be a community nursing unit for Nenagh, for families who require that care.” 

There was “no consultation whatsoever with any of the trade unions”, he pointed out.

He urged the HSE to employ staff to work on the site instead of relying on a private provider, and said Siptu had formally raised objections with the HSE.