I thank the Minister of State for attending the House to answer this Adjournment matter. I have raised the issue of step-down accommodation at the Bon Secours Hospital, Tuam, with two chief executive officers at the Western Health Board and with two Ministers for Health.
The Bon Secours sisters in Tuam have issued a statement in which they propose facilities at their Tuam hospital which would complement the services of other health care providers within the region. The statement confirms that the hospital management is exploring a number of alternative options for the future of the hospital, with discussions currently taking place with the Western Health Board.
The hospital staff and the local GPs have been advised that the future role of the hospital is under review. According to a statement in the Tuam Herald, discussions with the Western Health Board are centred on a number of proposals. These include sub-acute or step-down beds at the hospital in conjunction with University College Hospital, Galway. This would significantly assist in relieving pressure on beds at UCHG. The service would operate in a most cost efficient and effective manner, based on the existing infrastructure and other services currently available in Tuam.
The plans would allow for GP access to sub-acute beds and relevant diagnostic services. This would allow for the provision of a small number of protected beds for public patients, significantly enhancing the services which GPs provide to the local community and further reducing pressure on the high-tech beds at UCHG. Another suggestion is for facilities for clinics and/or support services with the community hospital concept in mind, providing an expanded range of outpatient clinics, including physiotherapy and other services.
The Bon Secours Hospital in Tuam employs more than 50 staff and has a patient throughput of approximately 1,000 per annum from Counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. The Bon Secours sisters have been running the hospital for 50 years and are very encouraged by the continuing high level of support from staff and the local community. I know this from speaking with the matron, Sister Baptist Liddy.
Doctors from the Tuam area and civic and community groups in the town have given their support to the campaign that is now in motion to ensure that the Bon Secours Hospital remains viable via the possibility of having a combination of public and private patients. At a number of meetings proposals have been made to include the use of the hospital as a step-down facility for relieving some of the overcrowding at UCHG. Other suggestions include the potential to cater for the elderly population in the area — the older generation is very vulnerable — especially in respect of treatment for illnesses such as pneumonia or where a geriatrician could call on a regular basis.
There is also the GPs suggestion of greater use of the hospital for physiotherapy or the introduction of a children's outpatients department. Another suggestion was that it might be possible to have an outpatients emergency or casualty department which could deal with less serious accident and emergency cases at weekends for the north Galway and south Mayo areas.
As the Minister of State is aware, County Galway does not have a district hospital network, such as is available in County Mayo. We need a facility in Tuam similar to the facility in Athlone or Ballina. The Bon Secours Hospital and the surrounding grounds are included in the urban renewal designation for Tuam. There is great potential for the development of the facilities there. I hope we can all work together to provide the health services I mentioned. I look forward to a positive response from the Minister of State and the Department of Health.
