Nenagh nursing home will be used for one year as UHL step-down

"It has been confirmed to me that Bartra Healthcare has been awarded the contract. This operator has experience in running several Nursing Units, including a similar facility, namely Beaumont House, in Dublin.

"Beaumont Lodge is a 220-bed sub-acute Transitional Care Unit. All the main Hospitals in Dublin successfully use this Unit as a step-down progressive care facility", Deputy Lowry said.

"The Nenagh Unit is contracted to Bartra Healthcare for one year only. A Consultant-led team of Doctors, Nurses, and Therapists will be on site.

"The facility will be run as a Community Step-Down Rehab and will support the clinical needs of those transferred from UHL. North Tipperary patients will benefit from this facility and will be prioritised for admission to the unit.

"The commencement date for the transfer of the first patients is the middle of this month (August) and the Unit will then transfer back to its original purpose as a Community Nursing Home, with the transfer of patients from St. Conlon’s in September 2025", Deputy Lowry said.

"This decision was understandably greeted with disappointment by the patients and staff at St.Conlons. The decision was taken at the most senior level of Management at the HSE, supported by the Minister for Health.

"It was taken in the context of the appalling overcrowding and unacceptable conditions at University Hospital Limerick", Deputy Lowry said.

Meanwhile, extended opening hours for Nenagh Medical Assessment Unit were also announced by Deputy Lowry last week.

"On the 22nd of July, I announced that the HSE was taking a policy initiative to expand the opening hours of the Medical Assessment Unit at Nenagh Hospital. This policy has now been developed and will become a reality", he told this newspaper.

"As you are aware I have always placed a huge political priority on developing and expanding the services at Nenagh Hospital. It is vital that we continue to invest in infrastructure and personnel so that the hospital remains a central element in delivery of health care across North Tipperary. 

"I continually work to ensure that the hospital is not allowed to lag behind. You will also be aware of the extremely serious issues at UHL with appalling overcrowding and less than satisfactory patient management. 

"This impacts negatively on patients from North Tipperary. In an effort to address this situation a special task force recommended several measures to ease the pressure on UHL. 

"One such measure is extended opening times for the medical assessment unit at Nenagh. This unit currently operates from 8am to 8pm. The opening hours will now be extended each day from 8am to 12-midnight", he confirmed.

"The service model for this initiative and its funding was approved by the HSE Chief Executive. The new model of functioning has been agreed.

"Obviously the additional hours and workload had to be evaluated for its impact on staffing levels. It is deemed essential to create and fund 30 additional full time staff to efficiently run the unit.

"Additional multi-disciplinary staff is approved with funding. It incorporates new posts for Consultant Radiologists, Registrars, Radiographers, Medical Scientists, Staff Nurses, Healthcare Assistants. 

"The cost for these additional human resources is an additional €2.874-million per year", he said.

"Having received this sanction the HSE is now in a position to engage with the Unions representing the existing workforce to work out an implementation plan. An invitation has been extended to the Unions to commence discussions. An important element of this negotiation is to agree an acceptable rostering schedule for existing workforce and new recruits.

"This Medical Assessment Unit open from 8am to 12 midnight will treat patients referred by their GP’s, out of hours service and injury units. The unit will treat a variety of medical complaints. 

"Those attending the units will be reviewed by a senior clinician and may require blood test, x-rays, scans or further diagnostic treatment. Instead of going direct to UHL and languishing in waiting rooms or on trollies patients from North Tipperary can be medically accessed at Nenagh Hospital and only referred to UHL if deemed medically necessary.

"I would like to thank and record our appreciation to the management and staff at Nenagh Hospital for the excellence of their care and attention to patients attending the hospital", Deputy Lowry said.