Alan Kelly
Ceist:1875. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Health if he will visit St. Brigid’s hospital, Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary and meet with local representatives there. [40954/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 26 July 2022
Ceisteanna (1875)
Freagraí scríofa
I am happy to receive and consider invitations from any organisation relevant to my portfolio, I would advise the Deputy to submit any relevant invitations to my private office and a reply will issue to the requestor as soon as possible.
I would like to acknowledge the significant healthcare role St. Brigid’s District Hospital has played for over 100 years and for the excellent level of care and support which has been provided to so many patients and families alike in the community of South Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny.
After the discontinuation of short-stay inpatient care in 2020, it was vital to ensure that St. Brigid’s would not lie idle and underutilised. It was equally important to ensure that St. Brigid’s remained an asset to the local community in Carrick-on-Suir.
The HSE development of health services at the St. Brigid’s Primary Care Campus in Carrick-on-Suir, which incorporates St. Brigid’s Hospital and the state-of-the-art purpose built Primary Care Centre, has seen the provision of:
Public Health Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Dietetics Outreach, Registration for Births, Deaths and Marriages, Area Medical Officer, Mental Health services, Ante-natal clinic which is provided by Tipperary University Hospital, Diabetic retinal screening, Social Workers, Older Persons services coordinator and Health Promotion.
It was also determined that St. Brigid’s could be utilised as a hub for integrated Enhanced Community Care incorporating both Integrated Care for the Older Person and Chronic Disease. The implementation of the Enhanced Community Care programme has seen the delivery of additional services to the people of Carrick-on-Suir and surrounding areas.
The transformative use of St Brigid’s is an important and welcome step towards achieving integrated care in the South Tipperary area and will also enable South-East Community Healthcare to continue to utilise St. Brigid’s and thereby protect the ethos and community spirit within St. Brigid’s.