Site should be earmarked for step-down care

Deputy Chris Andrews T.D. has today (24th June) welcomed the commitment by the Minister for Health, Mary Harney T.D. that St Luke’s Hospital Rathgar, will be retained by the HSE as a public health facility after its cancer services are transferred from the site.

Speaking today Deputy Andrews said, “I am delighted that the Minister has finally given this commitment, which I asked for as recently as last week when speaking on the Health Bill. As I have stated on many occasions, there is a chronic shortage of step-down facilities in Dublin South East and the site of St. Luke’s, which is a unique place for respite and palliative care, should be ear-marked for continuing care in this area.

While extra step down places have come on stream in the Royal Hospital Donnybrook, and Brú Chaoimhín in Cork Street, unfortunately we still have a situation where people have to travel outside of Dublin to avail of such care and St. Luke’s would be ideally placed to meet this demand.”