In mid January, newspaper reports began to emerge of problems with many nursing homes across the country, especially in light of upcoming new stricter regulations from HIQA. It became a national political event for a few days, but unfortunately St.Joseph’s Community Hospital Millstreet was one of six in Cork that were mentioned.

Local FG TD Michael Creed dismissed suggestions that the local hospitals faced closure, but FF leader Mícheál Martin insisted that a huge crisis was looming due to new stricter HIQA requirements that are coming in July 2015.

At a local meeting, FG TD Áine Collins suggested that a private modern hospital should be built to replace St. Josephs, and that the community should get behind it.

Locally people have put a lot of time and money to upgrade and maintain our local hospital, because God forbid we can’d afford to lose another service in our community. It’s hard to know what will happen, only time will tell, but it can’t be stressed enough that these services should remain local.

The latest inspection reports a “warm environment … residents voiced how happy they were with the care they received … how residents enjoyed the food of offer … Staff exhibited an in-depth knowledgeable about [read more …] “Rumblings over Community Hospitals”