Cork unit reopening for dementia patients ‘is a step forward’

A Cork TD has described as “a step forward” news that a residential facility, which caters for people who have dementia, has reopened for new admissions.

Unit 1 on the St Stephen’s Hospital Campus in Sarsfield Court is a dementia-specific unit for people who also have a co-existing presentation of mental health issues. It is registered to accommodate 16 residents, and provides 24-hour residential care.

As of last December, there were five patients in the unit, all of whom had been there for five years or more. No new admissions had occurred since 2021.

Responding to a parliamentary question from Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould, HSE Mental Health Services acting head of services Declan Cronin said there are currently six patients in the unit, with another admission pending.

“The unit is open for admissions subject to meeting the criteria under the provisions of the current registration,” Mr Cronin said.

Mr Gould told The Echo he has been informed by the HSE that there had been three admissions to the unit in recent months.

“No patients were admitted to this unit from 2021 until we started putting pressure on them over this,” Mr Gould said. 

“I want to thank the staff and family members of patients who stood up for this facility. They would not allow the HSE to close it and because of that, new patients have been admitted.”

The northside TD added that there are still nine empty beds in the unit and those need to be filled urgently.

“I am speaking to people whose loved ones are stuck in hospital because they cannot access appropriate nursing home care.

“No public nursing home beds should be closed while this is happening,” Mr Gould said.

“That is not how the HSE should do business. I will be raising this with the minister when the Dáil returns.

The HSE was asked for comment.