The ball is now in the HSE's court to ensure that a popular physiotherapy service offered at the St Joseph's Health Campus in Longford remains on site. That's according to local Fine Gael TD Micheál Carrigy who raised the future of the service with the Ministers from the Department of Health over the weekend.
The physiotherapy service has been operating from a building in the community care centre in the wider campus, serving care centre service users and members of the public. A recent HIQA report highlighted concerns that public access to the service was impacting the residents of the nursing home.
As part a multi million euro upgrade of the centre, the building housing the service has been scheduled for demolition with no other site in the campus identified as a new home for the service. As a result of this it was feared that the physio service would be removed to Mullingar or Athlone.
Deputy Carrigy says that Minister for Older People, Kieran O'Donnell and the older persons organisation within the HSE are not in favour of the service leaving Longford. Speaking following further discussions today, Deputy Carrigy says that HSE management must now issue a statement and confirm their intention to keep the service local.
