Nursing home supporters stage protest

CAMPAIGNERS who are vehemently opposing a decision by
the HSE to transfer elderly patients at a nursing home on the Southside to
another new, purpose built unit, staged a protest recently.

Around 50 people, including the relatives of patients
at St Brigid’s nursing home in Crooksling, Brittas, held the protest to voice
their concerns regarding recent HSE proposals to close it.

The HSE announced in early October that it had decided
to close the nursing home on a phased basis over the coming months as it would
not meet Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) standards.

As a result the health authority said it intended to
transfer the majority of the 90 or so patients at the Brittas nursing home to
the newly built Hollybrook Community Nursing Unit in Inchicore, which is
currently lying empty and has capacity for 50 beds.

In August, Southside People reported that the HSE
could not open the new purpose built

?¬12 million facility in Inchicore as it
could not pay the staff required to run the facility due to the public service
recruitment embargo.

John Murphy from Tallaght (40), is the nephew of
87-year-old Esther Corcoran from Bohernabreena, who suffers from dementia and
has been a resident at the Crooksling nursing home since 2009.

He said the vast majority of residents were strongly
against the proposed move.

“My aunt lived in Bohernabreena almost all her life,

?
he explained.

“I have another uncle in another home in town. I have been
speaking to the social worker there and she told me that old dementia patients
do not generally take moves like this well.

?

A HSE spokeswoman previously told this newspaper that
the premises in Crooksling would require a complete rebuild to meet the 2014
environmental standards [as set by the HIQA] for residential care and that
there was no capital funding available to do so.

A spokesperson for HIQA said it could not comment on
individual cases.

A spokesperson for the HSE said their Estates
Directorate had decided that the buildings at St Brigid’s would not meet the
standards that will be required from 2014 onwards to meet HIQA environmental
requirements.

“This is common to a lot of the older community
nursing units,

? she said.

“While the HIQA may be satisfied that their current
requirements are being met it is the assessment of the HSE that St Brigid’s
home cannot meet the future standard.

?

She added:

“It is acknowledged that the announcement
of the move would cause a great deal of concern and disquiet for residents and
their families. Each of the families has been contacted and it is the intention
that they will be given the opportunity and time to discuss the options
available for each resident.

?