Outsourcing respite care at Lisdarn "a cause for concern"

There are concerns for the future of respite services at Lisdarn Unit for the Elderly following a statesmen by the HSE that respite beds in the Unit of Cavan General Hospital are to be outsourced over the coming weeks.
The HSE has said that almost a dozen respite beds are to be moved from the Lisdarn Unit and an additional €72,000 is being allocated for the outsourcing of 10 respite beds for a six week period. The HSE say that the decision has been made to alleviate bed occupancy pressures at Cavan General Hospital. The move will see 14 ”step-down” beds made available at the Unit.
Commenting on the move Deputy Niamh Smyth (FF) said that although the HSE management made the decision to alleviate bed occupancy pressures she is worried that there may be a loss of respite beds.
The HSE moved to address concerns by saying: “These beds will be utilised for people who are occupying a bed in the acute hospital, who no longer require acute medical care and who have a clear discharge pathway.  The funding will allow for the purchase of beds in private nursing homes in Cavan and Monaghan to accommodate short term respite care and the beds in the Lisdarn Unit will be utilised to provide transitional care.”
They said that the purpose of the initiative is to reduce the numbers of delayed discharges and alleviate bed occupancy pressures in Cavan General Hospital.
Deputy Smith said she welcomes the 30 additional beds at the Virginia Health Care Centre, due to come on stream in January, but that they may be rolled out at a cost to services in Lisdarn: “Any transfer of beds could leave families in a position where they cannot visit their loved ones as often as they would like because of the distances involved. As far as I know there has been no consultation with these families.”
In their statement HSE confirmed clients and families are being contacted regarding this change: “The beds will be placed in facilities as close to the patients homes/families as possible so as to minimise any disruption caused,” the statement says.
Deputy Smith said that the precedent for such moves is not good: “We’ve seen services taken away in the past and rarely given back. The enhancement of step down facilities at this unit is welcome but I would appeal to the HSE to review this decision and to allocate more money, hire staff and continue to offer respite care in Lisdarn.”