The HSE has confirmed that respite care services have now been restored across Donegal’s community hospitals following appointment cancellations last month due to increased service pressures.
The news has been welcomed by Deputy Pearse Doherty.
The Sinn Fein TD said he personally received concerns from numerous constituents each reporting that a loved one who requires full time care had had their appointments for respite care cancelled unexpectedly.
He immediately wrote to HSE Management to seek an explanation for the disruption and to clarify when services would be restored.
“Only this week, I raised the suspension of Respite services in Donegal in the Dáil where I demanded that the Government explain to carers and to the families of patients why respite care beds were no longer available to the people of this county.
“I have today however received a full response from the HSE in which management has clarified that, in order to assist patient discharges from Letterkenny University Hospital, available bed space in the community hospital setting had been used in the weeks since January to provide additional step-down services for patients and that, therefore, respite services were affected as a result.
“The HSE confirmed that hospital’s proceeded to contact those whom had been scheduled for respite, to inform them that their appointments had been cancelled, with only some bookings being accepted in certain limited circumstances, such as where no alternative care was in place for service users.
“Management has also confirmed that respite beds have now reopened, while a few community hospital beds remain occupied by patients awaiting discharge.
“This is of course welcome news to the families and carers of patients who require round the clock care, as carers can now finally receive some much needed time off and take a break from the strain of caring for an ill loved one full-time.
“I think it’s important to recognise the sterling work which our carers undertake each and every day in homes throughout Donegal, and it is certainly not acceptable that they were left with little or no support throughout this period of service disruption.
“Obviously, management do not want to have to make such difficult decisions but they are being forced to as a result of underinvestment and neglect by successive governments which has brought our health service to its knees.”
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