A protest is to be held in Nenagh on May 11th as a dispute between the unions representing healthcare staff and the HSE continues in respect of plans for the newly built Community Nursing Unit. The unions have proposed a compromise that allows for the existing 23 residents in St Conlan’s Nursing Home to move into the new 50 bed unit with the balance of the space to be used for step down beds for patients in UHL. The HSE announced plans in March to use the entire 50 bed block for sub-acute beds for patients in UHL to help alleviate overcrowding in the Emergency Department at UHL. The INMO reports 104 admitted patients on trolleys in UHL today.
The unions point out that there are patients in hospital in need of long term residential places and that using the beds for other than this purpose could contribute to delayed discharges. The lack of consultation with the unions is also unacceptable to the trade unions who have referred this and HSE plans to hire a private contractor to run the facility to the Work Place Relations Commission. Mark Quinn from SIPTU says that the latest communication from the HSE is that they would need the facility Nenagh for a period of 18 – 24 months.
The Union proposal is supported by Tipperary TDs Jackie Cahill and Michael Lowry while it is understood that Nenagh based Labour TD Alan Kelly wants the entire 50 bed unit to be used as intended for long term residential care.
The protest on May 11th at 2.30pm will be from Church Road outside St Conlan’s to the new CNU adjacent to Nenagh hospital. HIQA reports have indicated that the existing building at St Conlan’s is no longer up to the required standard.
