A number of locations in Cashel may be considered as the site for a promised 60 residential care unit for older people.
The HSE is currently reviewing a site and says that provision is in place to look at other locations in the Cashel area if the site currently under review also proves unsuitable.
Public representatives that queried the delay in submitting the planning application for the unit which was due to be submitted in 2019 and 2020 were informed last week that the intended site at St Patrick’s Hospital is now deemed unsuitable by the HSE.
Difficulties with car parking capacity and access to the building were offered as reasons for the move to consider a new site somewhere in Cashel.
The HSE/South East Community Healthcare team issued a lengthy statement yesterday and confirmed that a new Community Nursing Unit for Older Persons in Cashel is part of the HSE’s Capital Plan and is a priority for capital funding allocation.
Deputy Martin Browne is to host a public meeting about the services at St Patricks at 7.30pm Thursday May 4nd at the Spafield Resource centre.
The HSE statement outlines the current services provided at the two healthcare facilities in Cashel –
60 long stay, residential and 21 Assessment and Rehabilitation beds (total 81), in addition to a Day Hospital are being provided by the HSE/South East Community Healthcare Older Persons Services in Cashel.
Since June 2020, 49 long stay beds are provided at the site of Our Lady’s Hospital Cashel – transferred from St Patrick’s Hospital. These 49 beds added to an 11 bed unit already in place at Our Lady’s Hospital.
A 21 bed Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit and a Day Hospital for Older Persons Services continues to operate on site at St. Patrick’s Hospital.
Some of the vacated space at St. Patrick’s Hospital was renovated to create Cnoc na Rí – state of the art new facilities for the Cashel/Tipperary and surrounding area Children’s Disability Network Team (CDNT) and also children’s disability services previously housed at Our Lady’s.
Other available space at St. Patrick’s Hospital is being considered for the development of facilities as part of the HSE’s continued roll out of the Enhanced Community Care programme. The HSE has applied for planning permission to demolish the existing Gate Lodge at St Patrick’s Hospital. Tipperary County Council are to make a decision on this application on or by May 17th 2023.
Services such as the Minor Injuries Unit(Monday – Friday) and Radiology facilities continue to operate on site at Our Lady’s in Cashel.
