Who is the Primary Care Centre in Shamrock Plaza actually catering for?

oxygen · 09-03-2012 3:39pm #1

This isn't a slight on the physio therapist from Dympna's, Ive no familiarity with any physio therapist. This is just regarding wasting tax payers money as far as I can see.

I broke my ankle a while ago, and just got the cast off. I got a referral from the doctor to visit my local care centre for physio. I live right beside the Shamrock Plaza so assumed this would be it.

I waited a quarter of an hour before seeing a receptionist, who just took my referral and said someone would be in touch. Someone got in touch to say that because of the location of my GP (fairly near the Shamrock Plaza actually) I would be seen by somebody in Dympna's.

It cost €360,000 to move the HSE to that location, with €1,000 a week rent. Why are they still seeing people in Dympna's while the cost for that centre is soo high? Does anyone know the criteria for being a patient there instead of Dympna's?

Jacques Thelad · 10-03-2012 12:49am

You have to have a STROKE to be seen at the Shamrock Plaza. Stroke. Geddit. I'll get me coat.

oxygen · 10-03-2012 6:07pm

Jacques Thelad wrote: »

You have to have a STROKE to be seen at the Shamrock Plaza. Stroke. Geddit. I'll get me coat.

eh... I don't get it, is that a joke?

Jacques Thelad · 10-03-2012 11:36pm

Unfortunately, the joke is on us:

http://www.carlow-nationalist.ie/tabid/369/itemid/2778/Sport/SportsBlog.aspx

http://www.carlow-nationalist.ie/tabId/392/itemId/3148/HSE-relocation-to-Shamrock-Plaza-just-beggars-beli.aspx

Nead21 · 11-03-2012 11:49am

I broke a vertebrae and was seen in Dympna's ....not before I had to ring and ring and ring to try and get an appointment. I was still waiting about 2 weeks before they saw me :mad:

oxygen · 12-03-2012 8:26am

Yikes, I'm waiting about a week to great back from them, maybe I better keep at them so

emick · 30-03-2012 5:12am

The HSE location at the Athy Rd is suitable for the provision of physio services and the sooner the rest of the services relocate back there the better. Who ever made the decision to move to Shamrock plaza have some explaining to do. The HSE own a huge chunk of property in Carlow and they decide to RENT Office space in the most unsuitable location possible in an office block. What would happen at Shamrock Plaza if you were a wheelchair user getting physio and the lifts were out of order. Would they carry you up the stairs?

lucylu · 30-03-2012 10:45am

The HSE suits that decided to move to the Shamrock Plaza should be given their P45 for wasting Taxpayers money.

NiThigim · 30-03-2012 2:34pm

Extract from Irish Medical Times. July 20, 2011

‘Considerable confusion’ about primary care centre

By Gary Culliton.

There appears to be “considerable confusion with regard to the use of the premises and the services to be provided” at a new primary care centre for Carlow town, the Minister for Health Dr James Reilly has said.

Dr Reilly said he understood the concern of Fine Gael Deputy Pat Deering, “particularly with regard to accessibility to the site”.

The rent paid for any HSE-occupied primary care centre accommodation cannot exceed that approved by the HSE Board for that specific location.

The annual rent for this centre is €320,000 a year, for an area of just less than 20,000 square feet. This rent is less than the rent approved by the HSE Board for a premises of this size. Rent payments, which are payable in advance, have just commenced.

The first floor at the Shamrock Plaza premises is already occupied by three GP practices and HSE staff will occupy the second floor. Both floors have lift access. Together, these floors will accommodate the Carlow town primary care centre and when the HSE staff move in, the primary care team will be located there.

Other businesses, including a bank, a software company and pharmacy, are accommodated in the building. There is residential accommodation on the upper floors.

There are underground car-parking facilities beneath the building and an estimated 1,000 parking spaces in the vicinity, including a multi-storey car park. Up to 43 HSE staff will provide a range of health services, including public health nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy services, speech and language therapy, psychology services, dietary and nutrition advice, home-help services and general support staff facilities.

There are additional rooms to accommodate outreach hospital consultant clinics and other visiting specialists. At maximum capacity, up to 40 clients can receive services at any given time. The fit-out has been completed and equipping is virtually completed. It will be ready for occupation by HSE staff shortly.

The facilities at the nearby Sacred Heart District Hospital and St Dympna’s Hospital are not suitable for the provision of primary care services, said Dr Reilly.

"The great Oz has spoken", Wizard of Oz (1937)

oxygen · 30-03-2012 3:11pm

Thanks for posting the above article, but it's just making a job out of white washing the issue here. Just because "annual rent for this centre is €320,000 a year, less than the rent approved by the HSE Board" does not mean that it is still anything other than a complete and total waste of money. €1,000 a day, imagine what that money could be used for in the county?

The HSE owns the property on the Athy road, that is still in operation as a primary care centre. Renting the space in Shamrock Plaza is a wasteful use of money, have they justified the requirements for it?

On another note, I’ve had two physiotherapy sessions in the premises on the Athy road now, and have been very satisfied with both of them. It’s an excellent service, the issue is not the service provided by the existing centre but the justification for a new service considering what was there already.

madmaggie · 10-04-2012 1:12am

I had experience of this "service" about 10 years ago for a back injury. I went there for 8 weeks, might as well had stayed in me bed. Went private and was back at work in 2 weeks. My advice, don't bother.:mad:

oxygen · 10-04-2012 10:36am

madmaggie wrote: »

I had experience of this "service" about 10 years ago for a back injury. I went there for 8 weeks, might as well had stayed in me bed. Went private and was back at work in 2 weeks. My advice, don't bother.:mad:

I've just finished my third session there after a broken ankle. Each session lasted about 15 minutes and this was the last one.

Im just wondering would it be beneficial to get a couple more private sessions in.
Was it expensive to go private? Where about is it? Would VHI cover it?

Nead21 · 10-04-2012 12:36pm

Health insurance should over physio. Best thing is to ring the VHI and ask them about your plan. They might have a list of physiotherapists that are registered with VHI.

When you're finished your physio sessions you are usually recommended to keep up the exercises.

bogof · 10-04-2012 5:44pm

With the way property prices are falling at the moment 320,000 euro would buy the complete floor. Looks to me that somebody somewhere knows somebody else and a nice little envelope changed hands. We would need another tribunal to get at the truth .

oxygen · 11-04-2012 10:26am

It seems convenient all right that the HSE stepped in to basically bail out a developer who put a lot of money into a property that will effectively run at a loss. There isn’t anything wrong with the HSE renting this property if it wasn’t for the fact that there are existing services and also if it was a fair price for the location.

I remember hearing that the doctors located in the plaza looked to set up a health care centre on the same floor that they were located but were denied planning permission. 2 years later the HSE stepped in and set it up at the tax payers expense. I will have a look for the article.

madmaggie · 12-04-2012 12:17am

oxygen_temp wrote: »

I've just finished my third session there after a broken ankle. Each session lasted about 15 minutes and this was the last one.

Im just wondering would it be beneficial to get a couple more private sessions in.
Was it expensive to go private? Where about is it? Would VHI cover it?

In reply to your questions about private physio, you can reclaim a portion of the cost on your insurance. I claim that part, say €20 for example, from the VHI, then put the balance of the cost on my Med1 form for tax relief. I went to Kilkenny Physiotherapy Clinic in Maudlin Street, free parking in Langton's carpark. I used them for my back injury, and again last year for a neck problem. They are great, 30 to 45 mins for €50, but you get your money's worth. Lots of lifestyle advice, exercises along with the actual treatment. They don't try to rip you off, when you're done, you're done. On the minus side, they don't reduce the fee for recurring visits. I don't have any connection to them, I just found them excellent.:D

Who is the Primary Care Centre in Shamrock Plaza actually catering for?

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