'Unacceptable' that beds have not opened in new Ballyshannon hospital

Patients from south Donegal are being placed in community hospitals as far away as Dromahair, despite their being empty beds in the new, state of the art facility in Ballyshannon.

That is according to Cllr Michael McMahon (SF) who put down the motion at the July meeting of the Municipal District (MD) of Donegal: “That this MD make representation regarding the full opening of services at eth Sheil Hospital.”

He told fellow councillors: “The new hospital has been opened since spring.

“But quite a number of people from the area who should be in it who are not. This is a mishandling from the HSE. It is totally unacceptable. 

“You would have to wonder about the leadership in the HSE.”

Recruitment issues have been an ongoing issue at the hospital since its completion, leading to delays in it being opened earlier this year. A dispute between HSE management and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) was eventually resolved, and the opening took place in February.

A major refurbishment and extension of the old Sheil Hospital, the facility was hailed as a state of the art community hospital, boasting 80 beds. These were in the form of 52 long stay beds, 20 short stay beds, and eight dementia beds. Further services include Speech and Language Therapist, Dietician, Podiatry, Tissue Viability Nurse Specialist, Dentistry, Audiology, Clinical Nurse Specialist Dementia, Psychiatry of old age and Social worker, Advocacy and Spiritual services.

The 26 residents at the Rock Nursing Unit which also accommodated patients from the Sheil while the new facility was being built, were transferred to the new hospital when it opened in February. 

However, the other beds did not open at that time, and Cllr McMahon told the MD meeting that he believed recruitment was still a factor. This was further exacerbated by the recruitment moratorium which was recently lifted. 

“It is one of the oldest hospitals in the country and it should be there for the community,” he said.

“Bringing someone from Pettigo to Dromahair Hospital is unacceptable.

“We need a date that this hospital will be fully opened and patients can get in there, and their families can go and see them.

“It is unbelievable that an organisation as large as the HSE allows this to happen.”

The motion was seconded by Cllr Niamh Kennedy (Ind) and was adopted by the meeting.

Donegal Live contacted the HSE in regard to the issues raised by Cllr McMahon, including the number of beds which remained closed and the ongoing recruitment issues.

A spokesperson replied: “The HSE are pleased to confirm that admissions to the Garden View Unit in Ballyshannon Community Hospital has commenced on July 18. Further admissions will continue over the coming weeks. 

“Recruitment for the Hospital is actively ongoing with a number of campaigns recently being relaunched.  “HSE Management continues to engage with local staff and their representatives supported by the Workplace Relations Commission. 

 “This will mark the second phase of the hospital's opening plan, with the first phase of the opening of the new facility having taken place in February 2024 when the existing 26 residents in the community Nursing Unit based at the Rock were transferred to this new facility.”