No funding for hospice beds

PART of a multi-million euro Northside hospice is to remain closed as funding cannot be provided to open its 24 palliative care beds.

The state-of-the-art St Francis Hospice in Blanchardstown was built to provide specialist end-of-life care. But its desperately needed palliative unit cannot open due to a shortfall of over e4 million.

The unit, consisting of 24-ensuite bedrooms, was to be an integral part of the facility but it now lies idle despite an urgent demand for its beds.

The shameful situation is set to continue as no money has been set aside for the hospice this year in the HSE Dublin North East regional service plan.

Ethel McKenna, CEO of St Francis Hospice, explained how there is a very real demand to open these beds.

“We have calculated that it will cost e3.1 million to staff the unit and e1 million extra for non-pay costs,

? she told Northside People.

“These beds are needed as we have a long waiting list for our beds in Raheny.

“We are taking in patients from the Dublin West area who wouldn’t have to travel so far if the palliative care beds were open there.

“We continue to work with the HSE on this and we would very much welcome if the funding could be allocated to it this year.

?

St Francis Hospice can only provide day care services from the facility two days a week and the centre is home to the Community Palliative Care Team.

Services are provided completely free of charge.

Local TD Patrick Nulty (Lab) slammed the

“absolute inaction

? that has led to this situation with the palliative care beds.

“It is a dreadful waste of human endeavour and a failure to provide crucial services that no funding whatsoever is included in the plan to open beds at St Francis Hospice,

? he stated.

“It would cost in the region of e4 million to get these beds open but the HSE has confirmed no funding whatsoever has been provided for this in 2013.

“We have a top class facility funded through the dedication of so many community leaders and volunteers in Dublin 15, yet it is not being allowed to reach its potential.

“Palliative care is a sensitive and deeply personal issue for families and they have a right to expect a dignified and well-resourced service

?.

“How can Minister Reilly and his colleagues in cabinet, two of whom are in Dublin West, stand over refusing to provide the funding to open the hospice beds?

?

St Francis Hospice has provided a service of specialist palliative care to people in Dublin North West in advanced stages of cancer, motor neuron disease and HIV/AIDS from its Raheny facility since 2001. The service is provided free of charge.

A spokesperson for the HSE confirmed that funding to open the palliative care beds had been sought but not yet secured.

“Funding for the provision of 24 in-patient beds for specialist palliative care within the overall catchment area of St Francis Hospice, Dublin, has been sought but as of yet this has not been secured due to current budget constraints,

? the HSE spokesperson told Northside People.

“St Francis Hospice and the HSE will continue to work in partnership to achieve the overall objective of provision of comprehensive palliative care services throughout North Dublin city and county.

?