George Lawlor: Demands action after HSE denies mattress
George Lawlor raised the case of the Furlong family in Dodd-Cormac, Wexford, over a refused HSE replacement mattress for their 23-year-old son Josh, who has severe non-verbal autism and is doubly incontinent. He urged ministerial follow-up after he said funding was declined by the Resource Allocation Group despite clinical contact and measurement being carried out.
The mattress is a waterproof, incontinent mattress originally supplied by the HSE and used by Josh for the last 10 years. Lawlor said the family have been trying to get the mattress replaced since January 2024; Josh wakes several times a night and sheets become wet even when changed. He said the mattress had been discussed with an autism liaison nurse and that someone travelled from Belfast to Wexford to measure for a replacement.
Lawlor reported that the Assistant Director of Public Health Nursing presented the purchase of a mattress for Josh to the Resource Allocation Group. Funding approval was declined by RAG on the basis that no clinical need for a mattress was identified, a decision Lawlor described as unacceptable.
Lawlor described the treatment of the family as appalling and highlighted the practical and emotional strain on carers who attend to Josh overnight. He suggested that anyone who disputed the clinical need should spend an evening with Josh to understand the family's situation.
Lawlor asked the relevant minister to follow up immediately with the family and with the HSE to try to make progress on replacing the mattress. He called the decision disgraceful and demanded action to address the family's needs.
Case details
The mattress is a waterproof, incontinent mattress originally supplied by the HSE and used by Josh for the last 10 years. Lawlor said the family have been trying to get the mattress replaced since January 2024; Josh wakes several times a night and sheets become wet even when changed. He said the mattress had been discussed with an autism liaison nurse and that someone travelled from Belfast to Wexford to measure for a replacement.
HSE decision process
Lawlor reported that the Assistant Director of Public Health Nursing presented the purchase of a mattress for Josh to the Resource Allocation Group. Funding approval was declined by RAG on the basis that no clinical need for a mattress was identified, a decision Lawlor described as unacceptable.
Impact on family care
Lawlor described the treatment of the family as appalling and highlighted the practical and emotional strain on carers who attend to Josh overnight. He suggested that anyone who disputed the clinical need should spend an evening with Josh to understand the family's situation.
Call for ministerial intervention
Lawlor asked the relevant minister to follow up immediately with the family and with the HSE to try to make progress on replacing the mattress. He called the decision disgraceful and demanded action to address the family's needs.
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Transcript
In a week where many millions, hundreds of millions, was gifted to borger barons and builders, you may disagree, but I'd like to raise an example of the reality of so many are encountering on the ground. I was contacted by the Furlong family in Dodd-Cormac in Wexford, and I have their permission to raise this issue. On behalf of their son Josh, who is 23, has severe non-verbal autism. He is doubly incontinent. The mattress that he has been sleeping on for the last 10 years needs replacing. It's a waterproof mattress which is used for people who are incontinent. The mattress was originally supplied by the HSE, and they have been trying to get this mattress replaced since January 2024. Josh wakes several times a night because of the condition the mattress is in, and even when the sheet is changed, it becomes wet as well. This mattress was originally approved back in March in a conversation with the autism liaison nurse. They even paid for someone to travel down from Belfast to Wexford to measure up for the mattress. The response I got when I raised it is the Assistant Director of Public Health Nursing presented the purchase of a mattress for Josh to the Resource Allocation Group. Funding approval was declined by RAG as no clinical need for a mattress was identified. This is absolutely appalling, an appalling treatment of a family with a child, essentially a child of 23 years of age, who is non-verbal and incontinent. Please, we need intervention in cases like this. That is disgraceful to hear that. I cannot stand up and come up with some, I am not going to endeavour to justify that. It is not acceptable. These sort of things drive any right-thinking person absolutely berserk. That is appalling, and anybody who thinks there is not a clinical need, I suggest that they go and spend an evening with Josh, like his family are doing as well, in terms of caring for him. So, I will ask the relevant minister to immediately follow up with you and with the HSE and see if we can make progress in relation. I am very sorry to hear that.