HSE slammed over shock closure in Athleague
There is shock and anger in Athleague this week at what has been described as the “callous” and “heartless” sudden closure of a long-standing health facility in the village.
The HSE Hostel has been providing a service in Athleague for over twenty years.
Locals are outraged at the revelation that all four residents of the facility were transferred from Athleague to other locations in the county at the height of last Thursday’s extreme weather ‘event’. It has been claimed that the residents were told they were being moved as staff would not be able to attend the facility (due to the road conditions). It is further claimed that the residents were told they would be returning to Athleague early this week.
As the Roscommon People went to press last night (Wednesday), the HSE confirmed the closure.
In its statement, the HSE says it had always been planned that the four residents would be moved to “more appropriate accommodation” in the coming months.
Insisting that there had been full consultation with the next of kin and the residents regarding these changes, the HSE says the move was brought forward “due to unforeseen circumstances”.
“Firstly as a result of the storms last week, and more recently due to difficulty staffing the hostel, a decision was made to accommodate these residents in temporary accommodation pending transfer to their permanent accommodation. Both next of kin and residents were also consulted as part of this interim arrangement”.
Cllr. Ivan Connaughton has angrily disputed the HSE’s claim that all next of kin had been informed of last Thursday’s transfer of residents.
The HSE statement
‘As part of the reconfiguration of mental health services in Galway and Roscommon, it was planned that the four residents currently living in Athleague Hostel would transition to more appropriate accommodation in the coming months.
This decision was based on individualised assessed clinical need. There was full consultation with the next of kin and the residents regarding these changes. The transition was due to happen in the next two months, and will include all options, including long-term care and independent living accommodation.
However due to unforeseen circumstances, firstly as a result of the storms last week, and more recently due to difficulty staffing the hostel, a decision was made to accommodate these residents in temporary accommodation pending transfer to their permanent accommodation. Both next of kin and residents were also consulted as part of this interim arrangement’.
