'Priority action' must be taken over reduced capacity issues at Cashel na Cor - Colr Albert Doherty

Sinn Fein Councillor Albert Doherty recently sought an updated response on staffing and day services at the centre, which is operating at a reduced capacity and awaiting the appointment of a manager and staff nurses.

In a written response this week, Edel Quinn Head of Service Disability CH CDLMS, confirmed to Colr Doherty that there is ‘no change’ to the staffing complement required at the centre – which is is sixteen Health Care Assistants (HCAs), two staff nurses, a manager and a Social Care Worker.

She confirmed that Disability Services is awaiting both staff nurse positions to be backfilled, as one is currently vacant and the other staff nurse is ‘waiting to be appointed to the manager’s position’.

Ms Quinn added: “The paperwork to recruit to this post has been processed and the HSE Human Resource (HR) department will be expressing the post out to the nursing panel it has in place. Many attempts have been made to backfill the second staff nurse post, it was expressed out to the Registered Nurse in Intellectual Disability (RNID) nursing panel on October 7 2022 but no expressions of interest were received.”

She continued: “ A skill mix review of staffing requirements has since been completed for the centre and it has been approved that the postcan be filled by a Registered General Nurse (RGN).”

Interviews for an RGN panel were scheduled to take place on February 22.

The Social Care Worker position is also vacant ‘as this position is subject to further union engagement before recruitment can take place’.Ms Quinn added: “Once the complement of management and staffing required for the safe delivery of Day Services is in place, Cashel na Cor will be able to open at full capacity again. Cashel na Cor is currently operating to capacity within the staffing cohort available. The service will offer all persons with disabilities the same service level as was offered pre-Covid as soon as the staffing complement available allows for the service to do so safely and effectively.”

Colr Doherty said ‘delays to date are have been very frustrating for all clients and families."