Sir, – Six years ago, my brother Karl was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, a progressive neurological and terminal condition that attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Messages gradually stop reaching the muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting. Life expectancy is between three and five years, depending on the particular muscle groups affected.
Independence is of the utmost importance to Karl, and the HSE was providing six hours of home assistance per week (two hours a day for three days a week) prior to July, when he was hospitalised after a fall at home. Karl has been ready to return home on more than one occasion to date, only to be told that the increased hours he needs have not yet been approved.
The disability services department of the HSE has had the application for an increase in hours since October 2015, and we have yet to receive a response, despite a further application in December 2015, and again recently from St Vincent’s hospital.
Karl is taking up a very costly hospital bed at the expense of some poor unfortunate on a trolley in the emergency department, while the HSE takes an extraordinary length of time to review an application, make a decision and respond.
Karl wants to go home and is applying for an increase to 31.5 hours per week (4.5 hours per day), which will have to be heavily subsidised privately in order to give Karl the dignity and respect he deserves.
The cost to the HSE of providing 4.5 hours care is €112.50 per day, as opposed to the daily minimum cost of €214 to provide a hospital bed (based on Department of Health annual ongoing revenue costs of operating a hospital bed of €78,000 per annum).
To taxpayers and patients lying on hospital trolleys in emergency departments, this is a no-brainer, and yet I am reliably informed that hospital discharges are regularly delayed for long periods for this very reason.
As is the case with any patient in hospital, the risk of picking up an infection, including MRSA, increases the longer one stays in hospital. If Karl picks up an infection while awaiting discharge, the consequences may be catastrophic.
I would call on Minister for Health Simon Harris to sort this out, and the cases of other people in a similar position, without any further delay, and grant Karl his wish to return home to what are more comfortable and appropriate surroundings for a terminally ill patient. – Yours, etc,
NORMAN HUGHES,
Terenure,
Dublin 6W.