HSE says 44 beds empty at 104-bed Cork city community nursing unit

A total of 44 out of 104 beds in Heather House Community Nursing Unit (CNU), on the grounds of St Mary’s Health Campus on the northside of Cork city, are unoccupied, the HSE has confirmed.

A HSE spokesperson said: “The opening of a new extension has facilitated Heather House’s ongoing emergence as one of the largest public units providing long-term care beds in Cork,” with this new extension now complete.

Altogether, 60 beds are currently open and occupied, the HSE said, but explained: “We have been reconfiguring Primrose Unit within the original Heather House facility to develop a 19-bedded dementia-friendly unit. These works are completed except for final snagging.

“Given the extent of the works that have been undertaken in the unit, a new application to re-register the beds is required and once engagement with the regulator has concluded, the unit can reopen for admissions.”

They continued: “Within the existing building, Daisy Unit requires additional fire safety works in terms of fire certification. The 25 beds in Daisy Unit are currently closed, as the contractor requires full access to the unit to carry out these works.” 

They explained that "44 beds are currently not open at Heather House but the dementia unit beds (19) are expected to come onstream before year end when registration has been attained.

“The remaining 25 beds in Daisy Unit will reopen when essential fire safety works have been completed. The total capacity of Heather House once all works have been completed and registration secured will be 104 beds.

“Recruitment is ongoing to ensure that the required staffing levels are in place when both Daisy and Primrose Units can reopen for admissions.” 

Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould, to whom the information was provided on foot of a parliamentary question, said: “Since 2022, this development has been met with delay after delay. In 2023, 60 beds opened in Heather House. This increased to 65 beds in 2024, but now only 60 beds are open again.

“At the same time, the HSE has repeatedly pointed to fire safety regulations keeping the 25 beds in the Daisy Unit closed. This has been ongoing now for far too long. What are these issues and were they mistakes made in the original build of the new modern nursing home?

“The 19 dementia-specific beds were due to be open in early 2025. The HSE are now saying they won’t be ready until the end of the year and I’m not even convinced that will happen. 

"Where does that leave the people who are on the waiting list for these beds?” He added that he is being contacted weekly by families who need these beds.

“Their loved ones are trapped in hospital, at home where they don’t have the ability to care for them or in nursing homes over an hour away.

“People want their loved ones in Heather House but the government do not seem to be providing adequate funding to get this facility open. Older people deserve to be cared for in their community. We are sick and tired of waiting for Heather House to open fully.”