A Junior Minister in the Department of Health has stressed the importance of preparing of Clare’s aging population.
Helen McEntee has visited Tuamgraney this morning, to formally open new facilities at Raheen Community Hospital, while she’s also announced funding for the operation of a daycare centre in Ennis by Cuan an Chláir.
CONTINUE READING BELOW
Preparing for the changing age profile of the Banner County was a strong theme running through the visit of Junior Minister Helen McEntee to Clare today.
The Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People formally opened a €1.6 million upgrade to facilities at the Raheen Community Nursing Unit, outside Scarriff. She also announced €170,000 for Cuan an Chláir which will enable day care services for the elderly of Ennis to come on stream at the start of next month.
Of nine HSE-run unit for older people, four are in Clare and all are seeing developments in response to HIQA’s calls for higher standards of accommodation.
Raheen Community Nursing Unit, located outside Tuamgraney, currently has a complement of 25 beds. 15 of these are for long stay residents.
In order to meet HIQA standards, extension works are underway and the first phase is now complete, with phase 2 set to get moving – according to the HSE – in the coming months.
The €1.6 million for this phase of the development was provided by the HSE with Minister Helen McEntee formally opening the unit today.
She says the project proves the importance of collaboration as well as standards.
Extensive local efforts by the Raheen Hospital Support Group have contributed hugely to the successful completion of phase one of the development, as well as the ongoing provision of day care services for 25 people every day who travel in from a radius of up to 30 kilometres.
Sean O Callaghan is secretary of the Raheen Hospital Support Group and says it’s a big day for the community.
Meanwhile, in Ennis, final preparations are being put in place for the opening of day care services at Cuan an Chláir.
Today, Minister McEntee has announced an additional 170,000 per year for the day care service which will officially open on May 2nd. Among its aims will be the development of inter-generational links with local schools, and placing an increased value on older people.
It’s one of three announcements by Junior Minister Helen McEntee today.
Ahead of her visit to Clare, the Minister launched Connecting for Life Mid-Westat the Millennium Theatre Limerick Institute of Technology today.
This local implementation action plan is based on the same vision, goals, objectives and measurable outcomes as outlined in the national strategy, Connecting for Life, Ireland’s National Strategy to Reduce Suicide 2015 – 2020.
Connecting for Life sets out a vision where fewer lives are lost through suicide, and where communities and individuals are empowered to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
The HSE Mid-West commenced the process of developing Connecting for Life Mid-West in December 2015, in response to the national strategy Connecting for Life. A Suicide Prevention Steering Group was set up and chaired by the HSE, with representation from over forty key services, sectors and communities within the Mid-West area.
As part of this, an Engagement Working Group was set up. This group reviewed the seven Connecting for Life goals, agreed consultation methodologies, and identified a consultation sample and a rollout mechanism that included a public survey, a service providers’ survey, postcards and focus groups.
The resulting ‘Connecting for Life: Tell us what you think’ public engagement took place during May 2016 and included:
– 1500 people living in the Mid-West who completed the Public Survey
– 23 organisations completed the organisational survey
– 59 focus groups with priority groups as identified through the national strategy involving 394 participants.
– 103 postcards were completed by the public and returned.
An Information and Research Working Group (IRWG) was also set up from the Steering Group. This group compiled a Mid-West demographic and suicide information profile from four geographical Suicide Prevention Profiles prepared by HSE Public Health, CSO data and a meeting with a local Coroner.
The IRWG considered the findings of ‘Suicide Prevention and Evidence Review’ and also carried out a literature review of published systematic reviews on interventions which were aimed at prevention of suicide and self-harm.
Speaking at the event, Minister McEntee highlighted the importance of local connections working together for the wider benefit of the community, saying that“This document is an excellent example of the benefits that we can reap when all of those who will be impacted by a plan are involved in the creation of it”.
“This local implementation action plan had input from a wide ranging group of people and representatives from the statutory and non-statutory, community and voluntary organisations working in the area of suicide prevention in the Mid-West, along with submissions from the general public”.
“I am happy to say that the excellent work of all of those involved has resulted in a clear and tailored plan for the reduction of suicide for the Mid-West” she concluded.
Ahead of the event, Chief Officer of HSE MidWest Community Healthcare, Bernard Gloser has been telling Clare FM’s Fiona Cahill about the initiative.
