Questions raised over vacant beds at Carndonagh hospital

Inishowen-based Donegal County Councillor Albert Doherty raised the matter at this week’s meeting of the Regional Health Forum West , at which he said five beds are yet to be registered by HIQA and 11 beds are ‘available for occupancy but not in use’, leaving 16 unoccupied beds in total.

The HSE said the hospital was inspected by HIQA on October 20, 2022 and issues were raised relating to fire safety, layout of twin-rooms in the dementia unit, as well as the decoration of the unit.

The HSE submitted a Compliance Action Plan to HIQA following this inspection and stated that all issues identified will be completed by July 31. HIQA has accepted the Compliance Plan and the hospital ‘is currently awaiting Registration of all 46 beds by HIQA.’

Colr. Doherty said he received correspondence in January from HSE, which said the five beds should be assessed and registered by HIQA within two weeks and all other beds are available for occupancy.

“They’re available for occupancy, but there’s no-one in them.”

Colr. Doherty said the recent upgrade of the hospital is ‘state-of-the-art’ and ‘when we see 16 vacant beds, questions are asked.”

He said that if the issue was a staffing one, ‘this should be something the HSE ensures is prioritised, so that full occupancy can begin’.

Colr. Doherty said he hoped that, if all compliance works are complete before the deadline of July 31, which he hopes they will be, he would be ‘asking the HSE to alert HIQA and ask them to ensure compliance is acknowledged, agreed and we move on.”

He welcomed the commitment by Dermot Monaghan, Chief Officer, Community Healthcare Organisation, (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo) to get in touch with HIQA.