Progress achieved on Abbeyleix Community Hospital
Sean Fleming T.D., Minister of State in the Department of Finance is pleased to report on a positive meeting today on the future and enhanced services at Abbeyleix Community Hospital.
The HSE was represented by senior management from the Community Health Organisation Section, Acute Hospital Section and the Estates/Building Section . Representing the local community were : Sean Fleming T.D. Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Brian Stanley T.D., Cllr John Joe Fennelly, Cllr Ollie Clooney, Cllr John King and Doctor John Madden from Abbeyleix.
The primary purpose of the meeting was to ensure the restoration of the Day Care Centre at Abbeyleix Hospital which has provided an excellent service for all of South County Laois. These services were closed during Covid and it is important they are restored as soon as possible.
"There has been a major investment of €4million by the HSE in Abbeyleix Hospital in recent times. This will facilitate new services in Abbeyleix which were not there up until now. There will be 18 new stepdown beds in Abbeyleix for people leaving the hospital in Portlaiose. In addition to this there will be 9 new respite single ensuite bedrooms and 1 long stay bedroom also in the hospital. This is a major upgrade of services in Abbeyleix. The HSE said they expect the works in the hospital to be completed before mid-year with day services and the respite beds in full operation before then." said Minister Fleming.
"Some of the new stepdown beds will not be required for quite some time and the HSE accepted our proposal that the Day Care Service be provided on an interim basis in this section of the building which will not be in full use for the foreseeable future. This will give the HSE time to have a new upgraded day care service provided on a permanent basis as soon as possible. The exact location of the permanent new Day Care Centre has not been confirmed but we were all unanimous that it should be provided on the existing site in Abbeyleix.
"Negotiations are currently underway in relation to the staff rota in Abbeyleix. When all these new facilities are in place it is absolutely clear that not only will all existing staff be required but additional new staff will have to be recruited for the increased level of activity in Abbeyleix.
"The HSE developed a plan for all the facilities in Abbeyleix prior to Covid. Since then, work has progressed on the provision of the 18 stepdown beds which was not part of the original plan prior to Covid. Accordingly they confirmed they are now undertaking an update to the plan to take account of this and the additional location for the Day Care Services together with a new Primary Care Centre which is much needed in Abbeyleix.
"All of this will result in a major Health Care Campus in Abbeyleix which will secure the hospital and all the services for decades to come.
"Finally, I want to thank all my colleagues who attended the meeting and the HSE for their positive approach and we look forward these facilities coming onstream as soon as possible, especially the full restoration of the Day Care Services."