COMMUNITY SERVICE Fr Charlie McDonnell and a section of the crowd who attended the official blessing of the new Tír na nÓg sensory garden at the MacBride Community Nursing Unit in 2014.
Neill O’Neill
THE future of day care services at the MacBride Community Nursing Unit [MacBride Home] in Westport looks secure, after a commitment to increase the availability of day services from three to four days was given to local councillors at a meeting with HSE officials on Monday.
If this is successful and shows that there is demand for a five day service, an understanding has been given by the HSE that the implementation of a full day care service, five days a week, will be explored.
The councillors learned during the meeting that the community nursing facility has 28 full time residents, as well as one overnight respite bed, and six people in day care, which is currently operational three days a week. There is nobody waiting to enter full time care at the MacBride Community Nursing Unit and the facility is adequately staffed. Problems with the day care service had arisen in the recent past where staff were absent on sick leave or on short notice, which caused the service to be dropped at times.
However, a warning about the overall long-term future of the MacBride Community Nursing Unit was sounded at the meeting, which was attended by three councillors - Westport-based councillors Brendan Mulroy and Christy Hyland and their Erris-based colleague, Cllr Gerry Coyle - and one official from Mayo County Council. It was revealed that under HIQA regulations, by the year 2021, the MacBride Community Nursing Unit will have to be significantly upgraded or replaced, in order to remain compliant with new regulations which are due to be fully in force at that time.
While there is no threat to the facility at present, it was made clear to councillors that by 2021, funding will have to be found to replace or upgrade the MacBride Community Nursing Unit, which is located on the banks of the Carrowbeg River at St Mary’s Crescent in Westport.
