As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of health services in the Dublin 9 area is, in the first instance, the responsibility of the Northern Area Health Board acting under the aegis of the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has been informed by the authority that St. Clare's Home primarily provides extended care to clients in the Northern Area Health Board area and respite care. The home has 59 extended care beds and two respite beds. Both respite beds are fully operational.
Eight extended care beds were closed in St.Clare's Home in 2003 due to staffing recruitment difficulties. Following a submission by the Northern Area Health Board to the Eastern Regional Health Authority, additional funding with an increased staff ceiling adjustment was agreed in January 2004 to recruit the additional staff necessary to reopen these beds.
The authority also stated that the Northern Area Health Board ran a number of recruitment campaigns in January, February and June 2004 to recruit nursing staff for all of the elderly community units in the board's area. In an effort to speed up the recruitment campaign, the Northern Area Health Board arranged interviews in the community units and requested candidates to complete Garda clearance forms at interview. Two applicants applied for St. Clare's Home and four of the extended care beds were reopened in February 2004.
The authority has further advised that it entered into discussions with An Bord Altranais as a number of registered nurses have let their registration lapse. An Bord Altranais, in co-operation with the Eastern Regional Health Authority, wrote to these nurses to offer "back to nursing" courses and advise them of the recruitment campaign. Further to interviews held in June 2004 a number of candidates have been offered posts. On the basis of information supplied by the authority it is anticipated that the remaining beds will be reopened by the end of July 2004.
