Drogheda Cottage Hospital has been at the heart of our community since 1907, providing essential care to elderly and vulnerable patients in a supportive, local setting. Today, its 14 step-down beds are under serious threat. This would force patients to travel outside Drogheda for recovery care, placing unnecessary strain on families and increasing pressure on Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.

These beds play a vital role in helping patients transition safely from hospital to home, while also freeing up acute beds for those in urgent need. Their loss would mark a devastating blow to local healthcare provision and to the many families who rely on this service.

We are also deeply concerned for the 30 dedicated staff members whose commitment and compassion have been central to the hospital’s success. Some members of staff have worked there for 40 years. The stress, upset and hurt on them and their families must not be forgotten.

Our community has stood together before to protect this hospital, and we must do so again. The hospital was only revamped and visited by former Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly in 2021.Closing these beds would not only diminish healthcare access but also undermine the wellbeing of our town.

We call on the HSE to safeguard Drogheda Cottage Hospital, invest in its future, and ensure that people can continue to receive care close to home, close to their families. 

Sign this petition to help protect an essential service and save a cornerstone of our community.