Residential care - HSE cuts indifferent to patients

When “value for money” cuts are imposed arbitrarily and without any thought for the consequences they may bring, vulnerable people who turn to our health service for support very often are the victims of what can be a short-sighted policy of the Health Service Executive (HSE).

A stark reminder of this — although by no means the only one — is St Michael’s House which has more than 140 premises across the northeast and south of Dublin.

It caters for more than 1,400 people with intellectual and physical disabilities, 600 of whom are under 18 years of age.