Protests an option as impasse continues over Roscrea nursing home

The people of Roscrea and district could be called on “to engage in a campaign of street protests” over the long-term nursing home impasse facing the local community.

The Office of the Minister for Health recently informed Roscrea Community Development Council (RCDC) that long-term residential care for older people at the Dean Maxwell Community Nursing Unit would come to an end on January 1 next. In reply to a submission made by RCDC, the minister's private secretary outlined how this end would be brought about by new standards applied by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). The letter states that the HSE is, however, committed to prioritising short-stay capacity at the Dean Maxwell home after the new 50-bed St Conlon's Community Nursing Unit in Nenagh is built.

Honorary Secretary of RCDC Steve Crofton expressed “total disappointment” with the correspondence from the minister's office.

“Quite simply we want, and the people of Roscrea want, long-term stay facilities to remain in Roscrea,” Mr Crofton wrote in reply. “The alternative is, as is implied in your correspondence, that people in Roscrea who need long-term stay facilities in a community nursing home setting must go out of their community to Nenagh, which is 20 miles away.

“This is unacceptable to the people of Roscrea, as it would indeed be to the people of Nenagh if they were asked to come to Roscrea for the same facilities.”

Mr Crofton noted that RCDC's submission would be forwarded to the HSE for consideration. “With the utmost respect,” he responded, “it is not the HSE that must make capital allocation, nor decide on Government policy. We want an assurance from Government that the people of Roscrea who need long-term stay facilities can be guaranteed same in their own community and we want Government to ensure that there is a capital allocation which ensures and guarantees such commitment.”

The letter from the minister's office indicated that the HSE “is committed to ongoing improvements” at the Dean Maxwell home. It referenced extensive works carried out at the home in 2019 and 2020, including repainting of bedrooms, fitting of new lights and rewiring. Fire safety works were completed early last year, while the clinical room, hairdressing room and activity area were refurbished to allow social distancing and infection control against Covid-19.

But the minister's secretary added: “The most recent inspection report published by HIQA was very positive and was compliant with HIQA standards. However, new HIQA standards in respect of infrastructure come into force on 1 January 2022, which mean that it will no longer be possible to provide long-term residential care for older people at the Dean Maxwell Community Nursing Unit.”

The correspondence has given rise to the likelihood of protest action instigated by RCDC, which is demanding capital investment in long-term community nursing home provision in Roscrea. “Unless there is a commitment from the Government that the long-term stay facilities of the Dean Maxwell will continue to be provided in Roscrea, RCDC will be calling on the people of Roscrea and district to engage in a campaign of street protests,” the group said in a statement.

“We expect the Government to make a capital allocation to Roscrea to facilitate the HSE in providing a long-term stay facility going into the future.”