HSE urged not to leave old Laois nursing home 'boarded up and idle'

The HSE is being urged not to leave its largest community nursing home in Laois "boarded up and idle" when a new extension opens.

Almost every elderly resident in St Vincent's Community Nursing Home in Mountmellick will be moved out of the old building and into the new 50 bed wing, it has been revealed this week.

The HSE's long term plan is to build 130 HIQA standard bedrooms on the site. 

However for now as the bright orange striped new extension is about to open, the existing building will be largely "boarded up and idle" claims Laois TD Brian Stanley.

The only exception is the 8-bedroom dementia unit, St Martha's, a secure, single story wing with ensuite rooms, garden and dayroom, next to the unit's landmark water tower.

However the HSE say they are considering uses for the older hospital, including for rehab and long and short stay patients.

It also holds the unit's chapel, garden and recreation rooms.

Deputy Stanley urged the Government to keep one of the wards open, speaking in the Dáil to the Minister of State in the Department of Health, Kieran O'Donnell TD.

He asked the Minister “to ensure that St Anne's Ward is kept in use when the new wing costing €31 million is opened to increase the capacity of the hospital from 58 to 83.

“We have a huge shortage of nursing home beds in County Laois. There is also a shortage of respite beds and step-down beds when people are discharged from acute units such as in Portlaoise and Tullamore hospitals.

“The population, in particular of the elderly, is increasing rapidly. If we are going to spend €31 million on a new building with a 50- bed capacity, which I wholeheartedly welcome, we need to get extra capacity for that money. However, the plan is to move out the existing 50 patients to the new wing and to close the two existing wards.

“I have been in the unit, and I accept that one of these wards is not fit to be used again, as it needs to be refurbished. However, St Anne's Ward was extensively refurbished in recent years. It is a fantastic facility, and it is in perfect condition, and has ensuite rooms.

“I urge the Minister Deputy Carroll McNeill and the Minister of State with responsibility for the elderly Deputy O'Donnell not to let it be boarded up and lie idle. This would bring the capacity of the hospital from 58 to 83. The new wing will be open soon. It is important that St Anne’s ward is not boarded up. We must gain from the €31 million that has been spent," Dep Stanley said.

However the Minister of State confirms that the HSE is emptying out the existing building.

“Phase 1 of the current capital project at St. Vincent's is substantially complete and consists of a new two-storey development containing 50 single ensuite rooms, adjacent and linked to the existing facility. When complete, St. Vincent's will be registered for 58 beds, which includes the eight-bed dementia unit in the existing building, which will continue to operate.

He confirms that the HSE has barely started planning the next stages of the refurbishment, but remains "committed".

“HSE older persons services is currently in the initiation phase of project planning for the utilisation of the old building, taking account of the demand for additional rehab and long and short-stay beds in the CNU.

“The current residents in St. Anne's ward will transfer to the new building. Future uses of St Anne's ward will form part of the assessment in respect of the future use of St. Vincent's campus.

“The scale and scope of future additional phasing of capital works at St. Vincent's is currently being reviewed by the HSE, and once completed, the specific scope for phase 2 of the capital project will be determined.

“To put it in context, phase 1 of the St. Vincent's development is substantially completed, with the new unit currently being equipped. The HSE is committed to further development on the St. Vincent's campus. A scoping exercise is under way in conjunction with a local needs assessment to determine the future requirements for the people of Laois and Offaly.

“Areas for consideration include step-down beds, short-stay and long-stay beds, rehab beds, dementia-specific beds and respite beds.

“I will bring back to the HSE the particular points Deputy Stanley makes. Further developments will take place on the campus, but phase 1 is virtually complete,” Minister of State Kieran O'Donnell said in his Dáil reply.

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The HSE had promised in 2018 to build two new 50 bed buildings and upgrade the existing St Vincent's CNU, adding a final 30 new ensuite bedrooms, raising capacity to 130 residents. Some of the existing hospital, built in place of a Famine Workhouse in Mountmellick, will be demolished. The Phase 2 new building was to replace St Martha's dementia wing.

St Vincent's was forced to close to new admissions by HIQA in 2017 because it failed the regulation standards for older persons units, with residents living in large communal wards.