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YOUGHAL HOSPITAL FACING BED CLOSURES – Writes Christy Parker
YOUGHAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL faces bed closures in the coming months due to a reduction in its 2012 budget and an embargo on staff recruitment. Three staff members who are due to retire next month will not be replaced, either permanently or through agency recruitment. This will bring to six the number of non-replaced staff retirements in the past twelve months, inevitability leading to a loss of beds as the roster becomes unsustainable.
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The cut backs fall under the terms of the National Service Plan published yesterday, which entails a €750m reduction in funding for services nationally
As yet the number of likely bed closures is uncertain and the hospital was unable to comment. However Cllr Barbara Murray, who represents Cork County Council on the Primary and Community Care Committee of HSE South, says “there is talk of eight beds being closed, but nothing is set in stone as yet.” As bad as prospects now, further retirements or staff losses may well arise in the coming years or even months, placing yet further pressure on the care centre to maintain bed spaces.
The hospital currently employs 58 full and part-time staff working on ‘whole-time equivalent’ rotas. They manage 38 beds, comprising 30 continuing care, four respite, two convalescent and two hospice units. “There is a constant demand for beds and a waiting list for admittance,” according to. “Any bed closures or reduction in service will have a serious impact on the local community, for whom the hospital provides a crucial service.”
It is understood that a meeting between the HSE and hospital representatives failed to alter the HSE stance, while further meetings are likely. Cllr Murray says she also hopes to meet with Mr. Ger Reiney, the HSE’s Local Area Manager to discuss the situation in the coming weeks. Cllr Murray adds that up to three times as many beds may close in Midleton.
A spokesman for HSE South says it expects “an increase in the numbers of staff retiring due to a change in pension entitlements after February 2012. We are reviewing the impact on each community hospital of such retirements or departures. The HSE will be unable to continue to replace these staff using agency staff and has prepared a number of contingency plans designed to maintain safe staffing levels and to minimise the impact on patient services.” The spokesman concludes, “Regional Service Plan will follow and we should be able to issue figures and procedures by the end of the January
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Fans of ‘the Man in Black’ will walk the line towards the Mall Arts Centre on Friday October 8th when American country singer John Schmid performs a “Tribute to Johnny Cash,” (from his album of the same name), concert in aid of Youghal Community Hospital and the Keith Phelan fund.
Picture taken of John Schmid and his daughter Katie back in Oct. 2008, during his last visit to Youghal, with Ernie Tromsness and Mervyn Scott from the Youghal Baptist community, Music teacher Ann Fitzgerald and Pobalscoil Na Troinoide students
The concert marks the American’s return to a venue he last graced almost two years ago to the day. For those unimpressed by Johnny Cash (every community has its eccentrics) John Schmid seems an interesting kind of guy to share a room with anyway. He is the founder and director of Common Ground Ministries, a “singing ministry” based in Ohio, with a focus on prisons and the Ohio Corrections System. In a calling that would impress the late, San Quintin-phobe, Mr. Cash himself, he ministry provides free Bible teaching and correspondence courses to prisoners in the Ohio system.
John visits over 50 prisons annually, plus various churches, boot camps, banquets, embassies, schools, street fairs, seminars, concerts and “a fair amount of living rooms,” as he cheerfully testifies. The rest of the time he tours overseas, lest he get bored and fall asleep on the couch one supposes.
Don’t even ask…
It is worth recalling an observation connected with his last visit to these shores, when it was noted that a cardinal rule of prison ministry is never ask an inmate what he did to deserve prison. Once, in 19 years, John Schmid did so. Later he watched aghast from the stage as the inmate sang, prayed and laughed in the audience. John, unfortunately, now knew the awfulness of the man’s crimes and spent the evening “wanting to beat the daylights out of him.” While the incident reminded him that, “sin kills and causes suffering,” he had also “got a glimpse of the awesome power of the Gospel. But asking why a man is in prison doesn’t’t help at all,” he concludes ruefully.
The minister might well have become, if not another ‘Man in Black’ at least an original ‘Guy in Grey’ had God not disrupted his concentration. He was singing in a C & W band in 1972 when he became converted, hence discovering that Nashville wasn’t the real heaven after all and set upon the road that would see him play guitar for God.
Physically, John Schmid’s stature resembles that of Johnny Cash, though his voice carries fewer pebbles, one might opinion. His singing style forms the blend of country/folk/gospel that once begat rock ‘n’ roll and his performances are sprinkled with stories and soft humour, while much flavoured with the Biblical message.
11 year old Keith Phelan from Youghal pictured at his family home in Raheen Park, Youghal. Pic: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com
Worthy causes
The economic maelstrom means the Youghal Community Hospital needs financial assistance as never before, while the Keith Phelan fund brings a cause to more recent public attention. Keith, 11 and a pupil at Bun ScoilMhuire, suffered a bi-lateral Grade 4 Haemorrhage in premature birth, culminating in his being quadriplegic, epileptic and suffering Cerebral Palsy. His family hope to raise enough money to bring Keith to the XCell-Center in Dusseldorf, Germany, where stem cell treatment may improve his condition and prospects. (See story on http://www.youghalonline.com/2010/09/21/keith-phelan-appeal-by-michael-twomey/ )
Tickets for John Schmid’s ‘A Tribute to Johnny Cash,’ are available from Cree’s Card Shop, @ €10/€5 (concessions). The evening is being organised by Youghal Baptist church in association with CRY’s ‘Reflections’ programme.
Pauline Neville Scott started painting in her teens and, from the very first time she took a paint brush in her hand, she knew that painting would be one of the loves of her life. Pauline paints in oil and her work covers mainly landscapes and seascapes.
Denise FitzGerald Reports – Photo: Michael Hussey www.youghalonline.com
Artist Pauline Neville Scott with her sons Anthony and Neville presents a cheque of €4,000 to Anne Dwyer, Acting matron, Marian Murphy and Eleanor Barry from the fund raising committee of Youghal Community Hospital and Hospice
In a chat with the East Cork Journal, Pauline said “All my life I got a lot out of this town and it was time that I gave something back to the community”, Youghal Community Hospital,” she continued, “is a most wonderful institution giving the very best in care to those from the town and area who require it. It means that patients can remain close to home, where family and friends can visit them on a regular basis.”
Artist Pauline Neville Scott with her sons Anthony and Neville outside Youghal Community Hospital and Hospice
Funds are always needed to maintain such a great Community Hospital, and so Pauline decided that her way of “putting something back” would be to produce a Calendar of her paintings which could be sold to raise much needed funds for the Hospital. Pauline first of all sought, and received, the permission of Youghal Community Hospital to sell the calendars in their name. Flanagan Printers came on board to print them, and Youghal Credit Union kindly agreed to exhibit the paintings, all of which helped very much to promote the calendar. Pauline herself selected the various paintings from her collection, and decided on an appropriate painting for each month of the year so that the four seasons were reflected throughout.
On Wednesday last, Youghal’s Pauline Neville, presented a cheque to the value of €4,000 to Anne Dwyer, Acting Matron of Youghal Community Hospital, which was the proceeds from the sale of 800 calendars sold in the town over the past five months or so. Pauline herself was delighted with the great response of the people, and with the huge financial success of her calendars. She extended sincere thanks to Flanagan Print, Youghal Credit Union and “especially to the wonderful people of Youghal who bought the calendars which raised this great amount”.
Artist Pauline Neville Scott with Eleanor Barry and Marian Murphy from the fund raising committee of Youghal Community Hospital and Hospice
Everyone is a winner in this story – Youghal Community Hospital for the funds, the artist herself for organising such a great event, and the people who bought the Calendars and can enjoy forever, Pauline’s wonderful paintings.
Speech by Mayor of Youghal Olly Casey at the civic reception held in The Mall House to honour Youghal native Bree Rosney retired Matron of Youghal Community Hospital and Hospice - Photo: Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com)
Councillors, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed a signal honour, for my fellow councillors and myself to welcome here tonight Bree Rosney, who for so long has served our community here in Youghal.
Mayor Olly Casey presents a glass insignia of the Youghal Coat of Arms to Bree Rosney with fellow Youghal Town Councillors
I would first like to say that Bree’s entire life is one of dedication and commitment, first to her family and then to the community which she served with excellence down the years.
Bree returned from nursing in England, in the early 1980′s, to look after her family, mother, father, brothers. She did this with unselfish love and dedication, which was to be the hallmark of her service to Youghal Community Hospital.
Bree commenced her career in the hospital as a staff nurse and became Matron after the Nuns left Youghal in 1985, a post she held up to her retirement in this year, 2008.
As matron, Bree soon started to Read more
