New beds at Laois nursing unit that the HSE wanted to shut down

The HSE has opened new beds in Laois at Abbeyleix Community Nursing Unit which it wanted to close over a decade ago.

Laois Offaly TD and Minister of State Seán Fleming confirmed that 11 new beds are now open in Abbeyleix Community Nursing Unit.

He said the new beds have been allocated for people for transitional care transferring from the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise. The beds will help people who are transferring from hospital care and intensive post-acute care. Following their transitional care in Abbeyleix Community Nursing Unit, they will then be able to return home or to a nursing home.

These new beds are in addition to the respite beds that are already in place in Abbeyleix Community Nursing Unit. This is a great service for people and families so they can take a short break, a holiday or a rest, knowing that their family member will be well looked after.

Dep Fleming said he Cllr John Joe Fennelly has been in ongoing contact with the HSE in relation to Abbeyleix Community Nursing Unit.

"These new services are thanks to €4.5 million of Government investment in the Community Nursing Unit in Abbeyleix over recent years.

"This is good news for Laois and for all of those who may need to avail of these services. These new beds will also help to alleviate pressure on the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise and its staff," said the Fianna Fáil reprsentative.

The confirmation that new beds have opened represents further evidence of the successful impact of a battle fought to keep the hospital open more than a decade ago.

A campaign ignited in 2010 when the HSE announced it intended to shut the unit down. Shaen hospital also faced the chop.
Former residents of Abbeyleix hospital stopped the HSE in the courts while the public marched twice to halt the health authority's plans.

Despite this a number of years went by before the HSE was convinced of the merits of investing again.