Campaign pays off as nursing home stays open

THE Health Services Executive (HSE) has reversed a decision to close a nursing home on the Southside following a hard fought campaign by relatives and friends of its elderly patients.

Last week, health officials confirmed that the HSE was no longer proposing the transfer of about 80 elderly residents, many of whom suffer from dementia, from St Brigid’s Hospital, Crooksling to a newly built facility in Inchicore.

Last October it was announced that St Brigid’s would close on a phased basis following an inspection by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), which found that the nursing home did not meet its standards.

Gerry O’Neill, a spokesperson for the Save Crooksling Hospital Action Group, told Southside People that the patients and those who campaigned against the closure of the facility welcomed the decision.

“From the very outset we thought this was a crazy move,

? he said.

“A lot of these people were in this nursing home for many years and they looked upon it as their home. Neither they nor their relatives agreed with the move to a new environment.

?

Mr O’Neill noted that a 30 page submission, that the action group sent to the HSE in February, argued it would be more cost effective to keep the patients at the public nursing home rather than transfer them to private facilities.

Cllr Maire Devine (SF) said campaigners had also pointed out to the HSE recently that retaining elderly patients in acute care beds at Tallaght Hospital was costing approximately

?¬1,000 per day as opposed to the

?¬280 daily cost of accommodating them at St Brigid’s.

“This is a victory for everyone who campaigned so determinedly for this important healthcare amenity to remain open and it is a victory for common sense,

? she said.

A spokeswoman for the HSE said that following significant remedial works at St Brigid’s home it could now continue to provide long term care there.