THE HSE WEST HAS CONFIRMED THIS EVENING THAT MORE THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE BEDS IN PUBLIC NURSING HOMES AND DISTRICT HOSPITALS IN MAYO WILL CLOSE OVER A PHASED BASIS.

THE CONFIRMATION COMES AFTER AN ITEM ON OUR LUNCHTIME NEWS PROGRAMME TODAY AND AFTER MIDWEST NEWS SEEN AN INTERNAL DOCUMENT WHICH PROPOSES THE CLOSURE OF 59 BEDS FROM A TOTAL OF 409 ACROSS 8 COMMUNITY UNITS.

OVER A WEEK LONG PERIOD MIDWEST NEWS HAD ATTEMPTED TO CLARIFY THE ISSUE WITH THE HSE. UNTIL ABOUT 4PM THIS AFTERNOON WE HAD NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM THE HSE WEST.

THE DOCUMENTS PROPOSE THE CLOSURE OF 9 BEDS  AT MCBRIDE NURSING HOME WESTPORT, 6 AT ST AUGUSTINES IN BALLINA, 10 AT THE SACRED HEART HOSPITAL CASTLEBAR, 6 BEDS TO GO AT SWINFORD DISTRICT HOSPITAL, NONE IN BELMULLET COMMUNITY HOSPITAL BUT 19 AT BELMULLET DISTRICT HOSPITAL, 9 AT THE DALTON HOME CLAREMORRIS AND NONE IN ST FIONAN’S ACHILL.

EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON THE HSE ISSUED A STATEMENT WHICH SAID THE FOLLOWING:

There are over four hundred public beds in eight Community Nursing Units in County Mayo.

Various issues impact on the number of beds that can safely be provided in these units, including HIQA standards in relation to the physical environment and space and the staffing levels required. The difficulty in replacing staff who retire or resign has an inevitable impact on the number of beds that can be maintained safely.  The intention in County Mayo is to gradually reduce the number of beds on a phased basis, by 59 across the Community Nursing Units. Many of these beds are vacant in any event, including nine of the beds identified in Belmullet Community Hospital.

Our primary concern is to ensure that we can deliver a service to our patients to the highest standards in our Community Nursing Units. We will not be transferring any patients as part of this process, given that the beds concerned are already vacant in many cases. We are keeping this under review on a continuous basis.