HOSPITALS:THE HEALTH Service Executive has confirmed up to 898 beds in publicly run community nursing units could close this year.
In its service plan for the year issued last Monday, the HSE said a minimum of 555 beds in community nursing units would shut this year.
Asked about a maximum figure, HSE chief executive Cathal Magee said the organisation was looking at “the order of magnitude of between 555 and 600” bed closures.
However, contained in the small print on page 47 of the service plan, figures given in relation to public community nursing unit beds suggest a minimum of 555 and a maximum of 898 would close in 2012.
These figures are in keeping with those set out in a draft of the HSE service plan reported on by The Irish Times just before Christmas. In the draft plan the details of the maximum and minimum number of community nursing unit beds to close were set out in writing.
In the final version of the plan, approved by Minister for Health James Reilly earlier this month, the maximum number of bed closures has to be worked out mathematically by subtracting the number of beds the HSE expected to have in place in 2012 from the number at the end of 2011.
A HSE spokesman said last night the figures set out by Mr Magee on Monday of between 550 and 600 bed closures represented the numbers the organisation expected to close.
He said “the absolute maximum” number of bed closures in community nursing units would be 898. This is in keeping with the figures set out in in the small print of the service plan document.
However, the HSE spokesman said any beds that were to close in publicly run community nursing units would be replaced by additional beds contracted from the private sector.
The published HSE service plan said the challenges associated with the provision of residential care in public facilities as a result of staff reductions and the introduction of new standards for facilities would lead to a continued reduction in the number of public beds in 2011.
It said it was anticipated a minimum of 555 residential beds would close.
“The number of actual units proposed to be closed will be kept to a minimum but will be as a result of the need to maximise value and sustainability through the consolidation of units,” it said.
Mr Magee said the number of full closures of community nursing units would be “in single digits”. The draft plan said 10 community nursing units could close.