Written Answers. - Services for the Elderly.
Pat Gallagher
Question:
71
Mr. Gallagher (Laoighis-Offaly)
asked the
Minister for Health
if his attention has been drawn to the deficit which exists in the provision of long-stay beds for the elderly in the Tullamore and Birr sectors of the Midland Health Board area; the proposals, if any, he has received from the Midland Health Board to address this deficit; if so, the response he will make to any such proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5854/97]
Limerick East): As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of long-stay beds for the elderly in the Tullamore and Birr areas is a matter for the Midland Health Board.
Following the publication of the Health Strategy, the Midland Health Board developed its own strategy and action plan for health and social gain for the elderly. This plan considers the full range of services, namely, needs assessment, health promotion, care in the home, care in the community, housing, care in acute hospitals and care in long-stay institutions. The board's aim is to put in place a comprehensive package of services that ensures that the elderly retain their independence, live in their own homes/community for as long as possible and have access to appropriate inpatient or long-stay care when they can no longer live at home or in the community. The board also identified the need for increased bed provision for the elderly in the Birr and Tullamore sectors.
In the case of the Tullamore sector, an additional 16 beds extension in Edenderry is due to open later this year and a further 20 beds are planned to be added to the existing 40 bed unit at Riada House, Tullamore. Plans are also being formulated to provide additional nursing beds for the elderly in Birr.
Pat Gallagher
Question:
72
Mr. Gallagher (Laoighis-Offaly)
asked the
Minister for Health
his views on the cost-effectiveness of spending a large amount of money on purchasing and altering the Consolation Nursing Home premises, Tullamore, County Offaly, which is now owned by the Midland Health Board, to adapt it for a change of use to serve the needs of younger physically disabled patients, compared with the option of providing purpose-built accommodation for such patients; his views on whether it would be cheaper in the long-term to retain the nursing home premises without alteration to serve the needs of the elderly in County Offaly and build a new unit for the physically disabled; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5855/97]
Pat Gallagher
Question:
73
Mr. Gallagher (Laoighis-Offaly)
asked the
Minister for Health
if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of elderly patients and their families at the Consolation Nursing Home, Tullamore, County Offaly, regarding their future care at the home in view of its purchase by the Midland Health Board; if his attention has further been drawn to the plans, if any, the Midland Health Board has to discontinue providing care for these patients at the home; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5856/97]
Limerick East): I intend to take Questions Nos. 72 and 73 together.
In the first instance, the provision of long-term care for the elderly and the physically disabled in the Tullamore area is a matter for the Midland Health Board.
The Midland Health Board informs me that the Consolation Nursing Home was purchased by the board from the Sisters of the Holy Family who were anxious that the premises would be retained for public use. Due to a decline in the number of vocations the Sisters were unable to continue to provide a nursing home service.
The building consists of a single storey block which can accommodate up to 25 residents and a vacant two storey dwelling house. It is located in a prime location area and is adjacent to Tullamore General Hospital which provides the regional orthopaedic and ENT services. The board states that it does not have a centre for the young physically disabled and that these patients are inappropriately placed at present. The Consolation Nursing Home premises provided an ideal opportunity to meet the needs of this group. The board put this proposal to my Department which provided an allocation of £280,000 for the purchase of the home.
The board recognises that the private nursing home sector provides a valuable service in the context of the overall "basket" of services available for the elderly and this is recognised in the board's own strategy for the elderly which anticipates an increase in the level of residential services to be provided by this sector. In the case of the Consolation Nursing Home, the Sisters were not in a position to provide a nursing home service and the board states that it does not have the funding at present to provide additional inpatient services for the elderly. The board always intended to phase out the nursing home service and introduce the new service for the physically disabled under 65 years. The board also states that it is not economically viable to operate an independent unit of 22 beds for the elderly.
The board intends to complete the phasing out of the premises as a nursing home during the second quarter of 1997 and to commence the process of establishing the service for the physically disabled. The board is very conscious of the worries of the elderly residents of the Consolation Home and has stressed that these patients will not be moved to the board's homes in Mountmellick and Athlone. The board states that suitable arrangements must be made for the residents and that these arrangements must be acceptable to the residents. I understand that a meeting is to take place tomorrow, 5 March, between the chief executive officer and the Offaly members of the board to consider all aspects of the issues involved. The chief executive officer has assured me that the transition from the existing service to the new service will be handled humanely and with full consideration for the welfare of all concerned.
