Harley will fight for the retention of physiotherapy services at St Joseph’s

The Mayor of Donegal, Councillor Martin Harley has vowed to fight for the retention of physiotherapy services at St Joseph’s Hospital.

It emerged last week that physiotherapy services at the Stranorlar facility were to be discontinued. Relatives of residents at the facility are said to be 'alarmed' at the news, which was only communicated to staff in the days leading up to the movement of services.

HSE chiefs said the decision was communicated on the back of a recent HIQA report on the facility. A meeting, attended by local Councillors Harley and Patrick McGowan on Saturday at the Parish Centre heard fears over what the future holds.

“Dental services closed in St Joseph’s and have never returned and day care services closed in lockdown and have never returned,” Councillor Harley said.

“There were a lot of questions in that room on Saturday and these questions will be out to the head of estates management and HSE management.

“Youth just have to wonder what is actually happening. We feel that if we don’t fight now that these services could be lost.”

The HSE says that physiotherapy is still being provided for patients at St Joseph’s Hospital, and the facility can still accept discharges from Letterkenny University Hospital.

Councillor Harley has said that portacabins which were used at the Shiel Hospital in Ballyshannon could be transported to St Joseph’s in order to retain the status quo.

“These are HIQA approved and would make much more sense,” he said. “We are left with a lot more questions than answers.
“This leaves people with a lot of inconvenience. You can’t expect people to taxi from to Lifford or Donegal Town, bearing in mind that the bus services may not suit.”

Councillor Harley said as far as he was concerned a HIQA report in October ‘made no mention of fire risks’. A spokesperson for the HSE has said that an 'identified need for essential fire upgrade works' means that be primary care physiotherapy 'will relocate to alternative accommodation with immediate effect'.

From Monday of this week, February 26, primary care physiotherapy is being delivered from Donegal Town Community Hospital for patients residing in Altapaste, Cloghan, Cappry, Goland, Knock and Stranorlar ED areas. The service will now be delivered from Lifford Community Hospital for patients residing in Convoy, Gleneely, Killygordon and Drumkeen ED areas.

The HSE spokesperson said: “The services are communicating with affected service users advising on which centre to attend for appointment and notifying all other stakeholders of the relocation.

"Work is ongoing to secure suitable appropriate accommodation in the Finn Valley area to enable services to be restored as soon as possible.”

Last week, Councillor McGowan slammed a lack of clarity from the HSE when he said: “It would remind you of the bad old days. It's like it is a secret organisation.

“It is an absolute disgrace. There is just no communication at all. We won't stand for them running down services by stealth.”