Beds in Cork community hospital 'must be opened for use' says TD

The HSE has been urged to bring six as-yet-unopened beds at Macroom Community Hospital into use.

The beds have been in place since June 2024, and were registered by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) last July

Cork North West Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea said it was “deeply disappointing” that, despite a major refurbishment project at the hospital, the HSE yet to put plans in place to bring the beds into use.

He recently raised the issue through a parliamentary question to health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, in which he asked about the role of community hospitals in alleviating pressure on acute facilities through step-down care, and whether all available beds are being utilised to support delayed discharges.

MEETINGS

In response, the HSE confirmed that community hospitals play an important role in step-down, rehabilitation, and convalescent care, and outlined regular co-ordination meetings across acute and community services.

However, Mr O’Shea said that this response does not address the core issue in Macroom.

“The HSE speaks about ensuring no operational bed is left vacant,” he said. “The problem in Macroom is that these beds are not being made operational in the first place, despite the capital investment already made and the clear need for additional capacity.

“We cannot justify leaving beds idle when patients are waiting on trolleys or stuck in acute settings because there is nowhere suitable for them to go. The refurbishment of Macroom Community Hospital was meant to strengthen community care, not deliver empty rooms.”

He said opening the six beds would immediately help to reduce delayed discharges from acute hospitals, improve patient flow, and ensure that older patients can receive appropriate care closer to home.

Mr O’Shea called on the HSE to provide a timeline for staffing at the hospital and the opening the six beds in question.“These beds must be opened without any further delay,” he said.

.