CALL TO PULL REVIEW OF TOGHERMORE RESIDENTIAL FACILITY

Cllr Cunniffe raised the matter at last evening’s HSE West Regional Health Forum where he was told that the cost of a fire report by specialist consultants was 3 thousand 500 euro.

A decision was made in December to wind down the 18 bed facility after a report revealed fire safety shortfalls.

A review of Mental Health Services in Galway and Roscommon is now underway and is expected to be complete within three months with a strategy for community residential facilities across the region.

However Cllr Cunniffe argued that the review would be used as leverage and its feared closure would be a step too far for Tuam.

Regional Director of Operations Bernard Gloster defended the review and said it was not being used as a rubber stamp of a decision already made and added that there was advocacy for patients in the review team.

He offered to write to the Chair of the review team to ask if a meeting could be arranged with the relevant forum members and Tuam District Mental Health.