The North-West Hospice in Sligo has not been admitting in-patients since the beginning of the year, but reports that the facility is closed were denied yesterday.
While no in-patients will be admitted pending the appointment of a medical team by the Health Service Executive (HSE), the hospice home-care service continues. In-patient care is being provided at Sligo General Hospital.
A spokeswoman for the HSE North Western Area said reports that patients were being turned away were "emotive" and without foundation.
The eight-bed, in-patient unit, which was opened in 1998, has been empty since January 1st, when responsibility for the appointment of medical cover switched from the hospice to the HSE.
Nurses are being rostered at the hospice on a 24-hour basis, but there is currently no medical team there. A new consultant-led system will replace a regime where family doctors recruited by the hospice provided most of the medical cover.
The hospice has agreed with the HSE that it will appoint a specialist palliative care consultant and other medical staff from the beginning of 2005.
In a statement, senior HSE executive Mr Alan Moran said recruitment had been ongoing for two months. Once the process was successful, a full service would be resumed at the hospice.
