Sinn Féin Councillor Noel Jordan has renewed his calls for both the Minister for Health and the HSE to deliver on their commitment to enhance and increase respite services at Seaview House.
His calls follow the announcement last November in which it was confirmed that responsibility for respite care services were being reassigned to the RehabCare group, the firm chosen to take over the south Donegal facility.
Cllr Jordan said people will remember there was cautious welcome for the news last November when it was confirmed that respite services at Sea View House in Mountcharles were to be taken over by a new provider.
He said “The HSE advised that responsibility for the service would be given to the RehabCare group and that it expected that this transfer would take place by February 2019.
“There was also a commitment from the HSE that this would also see the number of respite days at the facility increasing from the existing three day a week service up to a five day service.
“This was also hugely welcomed given the long running service disruptions and staffing issues which for many months have continued to plague the facility and badly inconvenience and negatively affect service users and their families.”
However, he added that families throughout South Donegal have contacted him to seek confirmation on whether or not the handover of the service has been completed and if respite services are now operating five days per week, as promised.
And he added “In an effort to hopefully bring some clarity and comfort to these families, I have asked my colleague Deputy Pearse Doherty to raise this matter with the Minister and to request the latest information on the amount of weekly hours of respite which has been delivered to patients so far this year.
“I understand that the Minister has asked the HSE to reply to the query directly and I hope to receive this soon.
“In the meantime, I am renewing my calls on both the Minister and the HSE to come good on their pledge and fulfil the commitment it made to the people of Donegal.
“I hope that our intervention will keep this issue at the top of the agenda politically and that service users can expect to receive a reliable and dependable service going forward.”
“Sinn Féin promised back in November when this announcement was made public that we would continue to closely monitor this situation and hold authorities to account and we intend to honour that promise.”