HSE and HIQA to be called before Oireachtas committee over closure of Carrick-on-Suir district hospital

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Public Petitions is to request HSE and HIQA representatives to come before it to answer questions about the decision to close Carrick-on-Suir’s St Brigid’s District Hospital.

This follows a submission made before the Committee in Leinster House last Thursday by two representatives of the Save St Brigid’s Hospital Action Group, who said the decision to close the hospital was wrong and called for its reopening.

The hearing, Chaired by Cashel Sinn Féin TD Martin Browne, lasted close to two hours and was prompted by the submission of a petition of close to 11,000 signatures opposing the hospital’s closure. The petition was collected by the Save St Brigid’s Hospital Action Group and presented to Minister of State for Older People Mary Butler at the gates of Leinster House in September 2021.

In their submission, Barry Torpey and Susan Mullins of the Save St Brigid’s Action Group outlined that almost every family in Carrick and its hinterland had a loved one stay at St Brigid’s over the years. The hospital had been a haven for families in the area and “the distress and anguish” at its closure could not be adequately articulated.

They said since the hospital's closure in April 2020, no alternative service was put in place. Local people must now use private nursing homes for respite care or travel to St Teresa’s Hospital in Clogheen for end-of-life care.

“St Teresa’s is a 40-minute drive from Carrick with no public transport available.

“The huge number of people who have died from cancer over the last few years in the Carrick area and whose families have had no close access to hospice care, has caused immense suffering and stress and this situation is continuing to severely impact on everyone in our community,” they told the Petitions Committee hearing.

They pointed out that over the 20 years of palliative care services in St Brigid’s Hospital, between 28 and 30 people died there every year, which is one person every two weeks.

“Respite and convalescent care provision has also gone, putting severe pressure on carers who deserve and need a break from their 24-hour caring role.

“Our older people in respite care always enjoyed the high standard of care they received from the caring, diligent and friendly team in St. Brigid’s. They were also mostly among friends and local people they knew, which was hugely comforting for them in their later years.”

The Save St Brigid’s Hospital representatives disputed the HSE’s reasoning for closing the hospital. They told the hearing the HSE stated the building did not meet HIQA standards and there was an issue with the size of the building. But they argued that all that was required was a few minor internal adjustments” to get the hospital reopened in a short period of time.

They pointed out that in HIQA reports about the hospital the inspector said “there were sufficient resources in place to ensure the delivery of safe and good quality care and support to the residents”.

“We are of the view that the issues raised in the (HIQA) Reports, in particular regarding patients’ ability to store their belongings, could be easily rectified with the addition of lockers/ wardrobes.”

“We accept that a slightly ‘slimmed’ down version may be necessary for the hospital to be reinstated.”
Ms Mullins and Mr Torpey argued that reopening St Brigid’s Hospital could alleviate the hospital trolley crisis by assisting the discharge of older people from hospitals.

“The beds available there over the years provided a constant turnaround every two weeks for people, using the respite/convalescent services which in turn provided ‘more beds not less beds’.”

They concluded their submission with the message: “It's never too late to do the right thing and reverse this decision.”

The case the action group put forward for the reopening of St Brigid's Hospital received overwhelming support from the Petitions Committee’s cross-party membership of TDs and Senators.

Committee Chairman Deputy Martin Browne, said the action group put forward a compelling case. “The account they gave regarding the HSE’s reasoning for its decision to close St Brigid’s was of particular interest to members. The Committee’s members agreed to examine this matter further and agreed to invite the HSE and HIQA to appear before it at a future date to answer the many questions that remain in relation to the decision to close the District Hospital.”