A PETITION to save the only public nursing home in Galway city from closing has reached 10,000 signatures.
Independent city councillor Catherine Connolly said that the petition reflected the depth of concern in Galway over the proposed closure of St Francis’s nursing home in Newcastle.
Cllr Connolly has called on Minister for Health James Reilly to intervene, given that the cited reasons by the HSE West related to shortages of staff, rather than quality of care.
Health and Information Quality Authority (Hiqa) reports praised the quality of nursing, medical and healthcare in the home, but did raise concerns about the building and staff shortages, Cllr Connolly said.
A recent primary care committee meeting in Galway had been told that there were 33 acute beds in Galway University Hospital which were occupied by patients who should be in nursing homes, she said.
“Only 19 of 38 beds are occupied in St Francis’s home, and the remaining 19 residents are in absolute dread that after many years in what is their home that they are now going to be shifted to privately run facilities,” she said.
“It is absolutely shocking that our most vulnerable residents would be treated in this way as though they were commodities.”
HSE West has said the nursing home will be retained as a day-care centre.
