Brian Stanley urges HSE to expand St Vincent's to 83 beds

Question 88 is asking the Minister of Health to request the management of the HSE to utilise the existing hospital building at St Vincent's Montmelich when the new wing opens which would increase the capacity in the facility and to make a statement on it. It is very important that we increase the capacity at the hospital minister. Thanks very much Deputy Stanley. St Vincent's community nursing unit Montmelich, County Leash, is a public nursing home that currently provides 56 long-stay beds and one short-stay bed. Phase 1 of the current capital project at St Vincent's consists of a new two-storey development containing 50 single ensuite rooms adjacent and linked to the existing facility. The project is expected to be with construction complete in the next few weeks. It is currently expected that St Vincent's will be open in Q1 of next year, 2026, following the transfer of residence, the reviewing of staff rosters and the application to vary the registration with HICWA. When complete, St Vincent's will be registered for 58 beds consisting of 57 long-stay beds and one short-stay bed. The eight-bed dementia unit in the existing building will continue to operate. The HSE have advised that they are reviewing plans in respect to the future use of the existing facility. However, the main kitchen, canteen, laundry and storerooms will continue to be accessed by staff. The church will also continue to be accessed by the residents and staff as required, and daycare will remain operational in its current location. The scale and scope of future additional phasing of the capital works in St Vincent's is currently being reviewed by the HSE. Once completed, the specific scope of phase two of the capital project will be determined. Specifically on the matter you raised on the HSE, as I said, the HSE are currently reviewing plans in respect to future use of the existing facility. More particularly, the HSE are currently in the initiation phase of the project planning for the utilisation of the existing building. This says it is complete refurbishment, taking account the demands for additional rehab, long and short-stay beds in the CNU, and any development in the old St Vincent's building will serve to capital and revenue funding approval. The important thing is that when the new wing is open, which are very much welcome, it is a €31 million investment, very, very welcome, which we have been long waiting for, the important thing is that we increase that bed capacity of 58 beds. The reality is that 25 of the existing beds is in a ward that was refurbished in recent years, at huge expense, double glazed windows, completely refitted out, ensuite rooms, as you mentioned, it would be criminal. Now, I do not mean literally meaning that, but you know what I mean. It would be outrageous were those 25 beds to be taken out of use. There is capacity here to get the hospital up to 83. There is brilliant staff there, very well-running facility there. As I said, there are totally refurbished rooms. There are 25 of those beds that can continue. There is a shortage of nursing home beds in the county. You know the situation, Minister, that you dealt with personally, regarding the residency, and you are working on that, thanks for that, and the private ones. We have also lost Ballard Lodge, which is a private nursing home that closed down, which was a good facility. So we need extra capacity in the county, and I would plead with you, and the Senior Minister here as well, and Minister Karen MacNeill, and Minister Murnane, to do everything you can to try and ensure that we are up to pass the stage to 83. I want to thank both Deputy Stanley and Deputy Aird for raising this matter. As I said earlier, the HSE are currently reviewing in respect of phase two, and more particularly in respect of the use of the existing building. In terms of just pure logistics, the person in charge is in contact with Hicquia, and there is a request for a preliminary visit of the applicant to vary the registration in respect of the new building, and specifically in respect of the existing building. As I said, the eight dementia units will continue to operate in the existing building, and the HSE has advised there are currently reviewing plans in respect of the future use of the existing building, and more particularly on that, the HSE are currently in the initiation phase of project planning for the utilisation of the existing building to make complete refurbishments. I take the points you both make on board about the Deputy Senator 25 and obviously the increased capacity on Deputy Aird. Taking place of the demand for additional rehab, long-stay and short-stay beds in the CEU, in developing the old St Vincent's building, will be subject to capital and revenue funding improvement. Both the points you make are very much to take on board, and I commit to working on what you have raised. Thank you. The first thing I want to say to the Minister and employee is £31 million is the cost that I have been given for the new 50-bed unit that has been developed there. What I want to know as well is that in response to a previous parliamentary question, the Minister told me that in a quote, the scale and scope of phasing of these works is currently being reviewed with service colleagues. Once completed, the specific scope of phase two, which is the next wing of 50, will be determined, unquote. So that is a change of position from the original plan of three phases. What is important now, and I am trying to be practical about this, I know money cannot be pulled out of the sky, but we have 25 beds there out of the existing 50. The first thing is to keep them there. The second thing, and you are right, is to move on to the next phase, phase two of it, for the second 50 beds, because there is a growing population, there is a growing elderly population, and I do not need to tell you that the demand is there for it. I certainly have a lot of families coming to me about it. You know, I was not aware of Count Corley that you have come in on the back of a written question at oral question time. I was not aware of that. You can, yes. Thank you. Minister? It is a new procedure in the Dáil. Maybe standing orders are being changed, and you might advise me afterwards. No, I don't have a minute. The next Minister? It is good to see such strong cross-party representation in the constituency of Leish. Okay, and I am glad. On the particular matter that you raised in obviously two aspects, obviously they are currently reviewing the scope of additional works under phase two, but more particularly the point you both raised in respect of the existing building. I already followed up pre-our debate here with the HSE yesterday, so I got that update specifically, which I was looking for, which is that they are currently looking at the use of the existing building. They are looking in the context of the reformers, when you might reference the 25, which I will bring up with them, existing 25 beds, and the need for additional rehab, long-share and star-stay beds. So the first step is that the HSE complete their work in that area, and then obviously we then need to look at funding, but I will be following up with the HSE in that particular matter. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.