Huge protest in Nenagh town over nursing home plans

A newly-built nursing home is to be used for hospital patients instead of elderly people as initially planned

St Conlons Resident Martin Hogan speaking to Aoife McCarthy at the Save Nenagh Community Nursing Unit March and protest in Nenagh,Co Tipperary on Saturday. Picture : Eamon Ward

Elderly nursing home residents in wheelchairs joined hundreds on a protest through Nenagh town on Saturday calling for the HSE to reverse a decision to use a newly-built nursing home for hospital patients instead.

Older people in Tipperary are being “punished” for the failures of the HSE and government to address overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick, protesters said.

The €24m nursing home will be run temporarily by a private provider offering rehabilitation for patients from UHL and other hospitals.

It means an older nursing home, St Conlon’s, remains in use although its premises were criticized by regulator Hiqa, and other people face longer waits for a bed.

St Conlons Resident Martin Hogan speaking to Aoife McCarthy at the Save Nenagh Community Nursing Unit March and protest in Nenagh,Co Tipperary on Saturday. Picture : Eamon Ward

Cindy Burke, walking with three friends, said people are furious.

Her mother experienced the problems with the older home, having to move from a single room to a two-bed before her death last year, she said: “because her room was so small, they couldn’t get a hoist in.” 

For many this is the final straw following the closure of Nenagh Hospital’s emergency department in 2009.

Teresa Langton, walking with her husband Tony, said they had protested that decision also.

“They ignored us completely, and I’ll be damned if they’ll take the community hospital from the old people. It’s horrible, absolutely horrible,” she said.

 People taking part in the Save Nenagh Community Nursing Unit March and protest in Nenagh,Co Tipperary on Saturday. Picture : Eamon Ward

Eamonn Donnellan’s 90-year-old father had expected to transfer from Nenagh Hospital to the new nursing home in March.

Instead, he spent seven weeks in hospital while the family scrambled to find another nursing home.

They found a bed 16km away in Borrisokane, but Eamonn said: “Family is everything to him. It’s sad to be far away, Nenagh is his home."

He shares the anger expressed by others, saying: “I understand why the government is doing it, but they cannot punish the elderly for their own mistakes.” 

Nessa Devaney walked with her mother Phil and said: “We’re here because we’re sad. If you have a parent, a grandparent, you should be here today. We are going to need this facility.” 

For Con Morris, the issue was also clear.

“We are paying for the overcrowding in Limerick,” he said. “That’s 100%."

Protest organizer Anna Tracey is a staff member at St Conlon’s nursing home and Siptu shop steward.

“We have

nearly 60 people waiting for a bed in St Conlon’s, which is not fit for purpose,” she said.

“We have only 21 public beds in St Conlon’s so losing this new unit, with all our waiting lists, what is going to happen to those people now?” 

People taking part in the Save Nenagh Community Nursing Unit March and protest in Nenagh,Co Tipperary on Saturday. Picture : Eamon Ward

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

Labour TD Alan Kelly who campaigned for the new nursing home to be built addressed the protest, urging people not to accept this use of the €24m new unit.

Independent councillor Seamus Morris told the crowd the issue should be central to the local elections.

A message for Minister Donnelly at the Save Nenagh Community Nursing Unit March and protest in Nenagh,Co Tipperary on Saturday. Picture : Eamon Ward

The protest was also supported by the Save Nenagh A&E campaign which is part of the Midwest Hospital Campaign and want to see another emergency department opened in the region.

A spokesman for the HSE CHO 3 region said the tender process is on-going to find a provider and that the new unit will also take rehabilitation patients from Nenagh Hospital.

“The benefit of having access to rehabilitation and sub-acute care for our elderly population in North Tipperary and across the wider region cannot be underestimated,” he said.

“Older people will avail of the right care and closer to their own homes and communities. Inpatient rehabilitation has many positive impacts, not least because it enables recovery of the older person, meaning they can live an independent life, for longer, in their own homes and reduce the overall risk of readmission to acute hospital.” 

He reiterated this is a temporary plan, and said: “It is fully intended that the staff and residents of St Conlon’s will move to the CNU once the required additional staff are in place.”