A former Director of Nursing at St Brigid’s Hospital in Carrick on Suir is appalled at the decision to end in-patient services there.
The HSE announced yesterday that the facility was to be repurposed to a new Community Healthcare Centre for chronic disease management which will specialise in diabetes supports.
Respite and palliative care services at the hospital were removed from the hospital earlier this year to make way for a Covid-19 stepdown facility.
Despite many promises that in-patient services would return the HSE pulled the plug on this yesterday stating that the building did not meet HIQA standards
Ann Guida is a former Director of Nursing at St Brigid’s and current Chairperson of the South Tipp Hospice Movement.
“When St Brigid’s was told it was becoming a step-down unit obviously we weren’t that happy but we understood and needs must.”
“But then when they realised they didn’t need it as a step-down unit what I think happened is there were staff shortages in other areas. Somebody saw there’s some staff there not doing an awful lot because the Covid beds weren’t needed to they moved all the staff.”
Meanwhile Chief Officer of South East Community Healthcare Kate Killeen White says the hospital facility is no longer fit for purpose, and that service changes are needed.
Speaking on Tipp Today earlier, she rejected any suggestion that this is a cost cutting measure.
“No it is not and I want to make this very clear to the people of Carrick on Suir.”
“If this was about money we would have – and I would have – strongly advocated for the funding to make the premises suitable.”
“It’s not about funding – it is simply that this premises is not fit for purpose and we have to make clinical care decisions all the time. Sometimes those decisions are very, very difficult decisions and this is one of those occasions.”
